silverpebble

One foot in Winter, one foot in Spring

2012-02-23T03:31:00.006-08:00

Just days ago winter definitely had us in its grip. There was snow and freezing temperatures. Yet today there is a mildness to the weather. There is sunshine and bees. We're on the cusp of Spring.

Despite the hopeful change in the season things have not been so easy for us here. It's been a week when normally I would not have posted. I like to keep my blog uplifting if I can but I'm co-hosting Making Winter Week and sometimes it helps to write things down.

To help ourselves through this tough time we've been cosying up, eating simple comfort foods and I got out my long-neglected watercolours. Eldest and I painted together. The activities we are finding reassuring are the same as those that help in the depths of winter. We've been very grateful for our fire and cosy quilts in recent days.

This morning things were getting a little easier and I drove to the next village to photograph the pussy willow (and unexpectedly captured a kestrel I didn't even know was flying overhead). In just over three months a good friend will be coming from far away to stay right here. It's a lovely thought.

On my way home I stopped to photograph some wintry knapweed seedheads and realised there was a lark singing.

Sometimes being outdoors can be better than chocolate.

Edited to add: Today's taste of Spring has coincided with things getting a good deal better for us all. I'm off to celebrate with a play on the swings with the little ones.

If you'd like to share what you've been up to this week, another good friend is hosting here.

Holiday snaps

2012-02-19T09:48:00.002-08:00

Vintage purchases from The Girls' Own Store in Bridport.

West Bay beach.

An early violet growing next to the stream in Portesham.

These are a few holiday snaps from out much-needed break in Dorset last week. I almost feel more of a thrill being at the beach in winter. I like the feeling of having the beach to ourselves. One afternoon all four of us went to Eype and the girls discovered how much fun can be had with a few hundred thousand pebbles.

It was very good to be away but it's funny how coming home always reminds me how fond I am of our little house.

The very last Making Winter week will begin tomorrow and you can join in over at Thriftyhousehold. It hardly seems possible that both winter, and this project are almost over. I have pie plans- after all, British Pie Week is coming up and I'd like to get some practice in.

Edited to add: there's a space available on my beginners' beading workshop this coming Saturday (25th). We'll be making necklaces with tiny found objects, vintage buttons and gemstones.

A kiln of one's own

2012-02-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

Anyone who reads this blog will know that I have a love affair with silver. Add enamel to silver, though, and my excitement levels go through the roof. The liquid glass-like colour with silver beneath it is utterly beautiful and it's been nearly four years since I wanted to make my own enamelled pieces.

I went to learn how with Lynne in 2010, borrowed Juliet's kiln, and was on the point of buying my own last summer, when suddenly my car needed mending. The kiln plan was shelved for a while, but yesterday my very own tiny, shiny kiln arrived. The picture above is what 800 degrees looks like. Fiery.

My kiln's arrival is timely: I heard this week that I've been accepted to have a stall at the Selvedge Spring Fair and I needed some fresh designs for the new year. Frankly the ideas have been tumbling over one another, spinning about in my head and keeping me awake some nights. The common thread for all of these part-formed ideas, though, is enamel.

The shards of Victorian pottery I keep finding in the garden (picture above taken last summer) have been inspiring me, as has Alice's recommended reading, vintage lace and feedsack florals, Moorcroft, William de Morgan, Archibald Knox and CFA Voysey.

This is the first piece I made today with my brand new kiln, once I had managed to channel the jumbled ideas from my head into my hands for an hour or two. It's a tiny sample, far from perfect and there's still lots of sketching to do and designs to refine but it feels wonderful to make something and not have to dash across the fens to return the kiln afterwards.

I ordered twelve new enamel colours today. I can hardly wait until they arrive. I guess it's the same feeling passionate knitters or crocheters must have after they've just ordered some beautiful new yarn.

I made a tiny silver garden trowel today too.

Winter colour

2012-02-09T03:59:00.000-08:00

I'm overdue with the mosaics from last month's Making Winter festivities. It's rather a grey day here today so some cheerful colour was needed. Thankyou so much to all who have been reading, commenting, flickring and blogging so far this season.

I'm collecting together all the lovely wintry recipes that have been posted and will be putting them onto a separate page to visit during emergencies or when comfort baking is required.

The next week of seasonal creativity will begin over at Thriftyhousehold on Monday 20th February. There will be no particular theme - it will simply be a record of the good things about this time of year.

Photo credits:

1. Daisley 2. No Knitted Knickers 3. The Fluff Pot 4. Andamento
5. Little Cotton Rabbits 6. Saidos de Concha 7. Mrs Micawber 8. Far from Harm Farm
9. Little Cotton Rabbits 10. Yellowhouse72 11. Itchin Stitchin 12. Wild Acre
13. Bristol Parenting Cafe 14. Saidos da Concha 15. Scented Sweetpeas 16. Itchin Stitchin

A good day

2012-02-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Detail of a handmade project bag from Monica

I'd been waiting for Saturday to arrive for months.

The plan: Crafts, Cake and Chat.

The people: bloggers- Tracy, Ali, Monica, Julie, Val, Nancy and Alice.

The grub: excellent.

There were beautiful gifts (including very chic herb containers from Alice, felted rings from Ali and a daily survival kit from Val).

There were knitting masterclasses, Etsy discussions and debates about twitter.

We saw the Little Cotton Rabbits. They're even more lovely in real life.

Tiny crochet owls were made and hand knitted socks and tiny cardigans grew longer.

Beautiful vintage cottons from Nancy.

Mostly, though, there was laughter, and scoffing.

We could have chatted into the evening but the snow forecasts sent us home.

Thankyou so much, Tracy, for suggesting and hosting and to this lovely group of women for making it such a good, good day. I think we're all a little sad that it's over. I suppose we all knew that getting together with like-minded people is a very good thing to do. I think we just need to do it more often.

Here is a picture I took on Saturday of a blogger, taking a picture of a blogger, taking a picture of Julie's cake.

Sledging

2012-02-05T04:15:00.000-08:00

It's a serious business round here.

Salty/sweet

2012-01-31T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have two confessions to make. The first is that I watch a lot of recipe programmes. We have subscriptions to the Good Food Channel and the Food Network and I find they're a great way to wind down in the evenings. My favourites are Nigel and Nigella as I love the way they're styled and shot (and Nigel Slater has such a friendly manner), but the other day I stumbled on 'Unique Sweets' about the best bakeries and restaurant desserts to be found around the US.

There were rave reviews about an unusual biscuit from a San Francisco bakery called Goodygoodie: a chocolate wafer sprinkled with raw cocoa nibs and chopped olives. There seems to be a trend for combining salty and sweet flavours in baking at the moment. Nigella herself has a passion for salted caramel and I loved the idea of the floral saltiness of olives with chocolate, but San Francisco is a bit of a trek. I had never heard of chocolate wafers but realised that they are those tubular, crispy (often striped) biscuits that sometimes come with coffee in a cafe.

I found this basic recipe, some cocoa nibs for sale and bagged a jar of kalamata olives from the supermarket.

The cocoa nibs are crunchy and buttery and the wafers are crispy-edged and delicious. The spike of the salty olives make these utterly moreish. The best part of the recipe* is that its so quick and easy and it makes a small number of wafers - just enough for a treat with a cuppa. They disappear quickly. The Mr thinks that small pieces of very crispy bacon would be good sprinkled on these biscuits but that may be a step too far.

As for my other confession, I like a little marmite under the jam on my toasted crumpets. I think it's OK to admit that nowadays.

This post was due to be part of Making Winter Week but the cocoa nibs took a little while to arrive.

There have been so many gorgeous contributions to this month's link up - huge thanks to everyone who has commented and posted. Thriftyhousehold and I are relaxed about the timings of the project and this month's list is open for another week or two, so if you'd like to discover some lovely wintry recipes and craft or you'd like to join in then follow the link above. I'll be making some mosaics from the Flickr pool later in the week.

* Recipe for chocolate wafers with cocoa nibs and olives
Cover a baking sheet with baking parchment and preheat an oven to 200C/400F

Mix the following thoroughly (makes 12-14 biscuits):

1/4 cup plus two teaspoons all-purpose/plain flour
1/3 cup confectioner's/icing sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons heavy/double cream
1 large eggwhite
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
pinch table salt

Make three small piles of mixture on the baking sheet along the longer edge. Spread each into a longish shape (approx 10x 4cm) with a table or palette knife.
Onto each wafer sprinkle a good pinch of coca nibs and a good pinch of finely chopped Kalamata olives
Bake for 5-8 minutes or until very slightly darkened round the edge.
Cool.
Eat.

Comforting winter salad

2012-01-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

Mrs Thriftyhousehold and I hatched a very last minute plan for lunch today. After a hurried phone call I bunged some ingredients in a bag and drove to her place.

I had some smoked mackerel and baby spinach leaves and I'd whipped up some quick croutons* and a caesar-style dressing**. I added some marinated artichokes, slivers of parmesan and sunflower seeds. The creaminess of smoked mackerel always surprises me and it was good with the tangy dressing and the fresh crispy leaves.

My lunch partner had made her delicious roasted butternut squash and sage soup. It's hearty, warming and absolutely delicious.

Then the wintry sunshine was calling so we went for a walk. Sometimes last-minute plans are the best kind.

This month's cosy and comforting making winter project can be found in the last post and will be open until well into next month. The contributions are truly lovely so a huge thankyou to everyone who's shared their recipes or wintry images. Making Winter blogposts don't have to be long or elaborate - images of cups of hot chocolate, a favourite pair of mittens, a wintry walk or a tasty pie are perfect. Click here if you'd like to join in.

* Chunks of any bread tossed with

Garlic,

A few rosemary leaves

Salt,

Onto a baking sheet,

Into the oven at roasting temperature for 10 mins or until golden brown and crispy

** Three tablespoons of creme fraiche, mayonnaise or a 50:50 combination of the two

Squeeze of lemon

Few drops of white wine vinegar

Good dash of Worcestershire sauce

Few drops of oil from a tin of anchovies (optional)

Season (may not need salt)

Making Winter bloghop for January: Cosiness and comfort

2012-01-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

Back in 1999 I was working in Covent Garden as a patent analyst. It was an interesting, if slightly monotonous job. One of the bonuses but also the pitfalls of working in that part of London was that Neal Street and The Bead Shop were just a few minutes' walk away.

My takeaway treat lunch of choice at the time was:

A salad from Food for Thought

A Muffinski's raspberry and white chocolate oatbran muffin

An Innocent Smoothie

Back then Innocent was a tiny start-up company and muffins were very exotic. The muffin trend had yet to take hold and this was ten years or so before cupcakes, whoopie pies or macarons were fashionable. Despite knowing very little about baking I was keen to make some.

Fast forward five years and I ate my first homemade muffin at a friend's house. I was given the recipe on a scrap of paper.

The real eye opener was that there was no faffing about with creaming sugar and butter. There was a wet mix and a dry mix. They were bunged together, roughly mixed, some fruit or chocolate added (or both) and that was it bar the baking and scoffing. Brilliant.

Nowadays one small daughter whisks the eggs and milk whilst the other (at school for the baking, arrived home for scoffing) helps to measure out. The thrill they get from knowing that they helped to make the muffins never wavers. They may no longer be the height of baking fashion but their simplicity and tastiness are still top of the pops around here, especially as a treat on a grey wintry day. Funnily enough, raspberry and chocolate is the absolute family favourite (oh and raspberries cancel out chocolate in a matter/anti-matter kind of way. Add wholemeal flour and, really, these are a health food).

The basic muffin recipe below can be fancied up or left plain. It is a good, quick comfort baking recipe. I timed it once. From the first opening of the cupboard to getting the muffins out of the oven was 27 minutes. I'm sure it could even be faster.

One top tip (written on the original scrap of paper) is that if frozen berries are put straight into the mixture from the freezer they are just soft and tender (not mushy) once baked.

Guide to measurements: BLACK Imperial, RED Metric, BLUE Cups/sticks

Wet mix:

8 fl oz/230ml/1 cup milk

4 oz/115ml/1 stick melted butter

1 whisked egg

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Dry mix

10 oz/280g / 1.25 cups plain flour (wholemeal OR 8oz wholemeal plus 2 oz fine oatmeal for health*)

3 oz/85g/1/3 cup of sugar of choice

Level dessert spoon of baking powder

Bake as they are, or..

For extra tastiness choose from

3 oz/85g/1/3 cup - 5oz/150g/just over 1/2 cup frozen berries or chopped fruit/nuts
and/or

3 oz/85g/1/3 cup - 5oz/150g/just over 1/2 cup chopped chocolate
(3 oz good, 5 oz better)
Orange/lemon zest

To make

Add the wet to the dry mix
Add extra tastiness ingredient(s)
Mix roughly until just combined
Divide into 12 muffin cases.
Bake at 180 C/350 F for between 15 and 25 minutes (or until golden brown and bouncing back when pressed)
Cool.
Eat.

This week is Making Winter Week. If you'd like to share your cosy, comforting wintry creative doings then add your link below, a link in your post and others joining in will come over and visit. If you're new to the project then feel free to grab the button from my sidebar (html code to follow). The Making Winter Flickr pool is just wonderful - pop over for a peep. The first link you see below is Mrs TH's wonderfully simple and soothing balm recipe. I've tried it. It's excellent.

Mrs Thriftyhousehold and I would be especially excited about wintry Comfort Baking recipes over the next two months. As I mentioned yesterday, the plan would be to make and share an online links resource entitled Baking Winter.

* See matter/anti-matter theory above.

Winter cutting garden

2012-01-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

Sue at Backlane Notebook has set herself a challenge to cut greenery and, if possible, flowers from her garden during the winter. Hedgerow finds are allowed if things get desperate. I'm a latecomer to the project but I thought I'd venture out to see if there were any spots of colour. I was surprised at what I found amongst the crispy perennials and dead leaves.

I think the prolonged warm weather in autumn kept things flowering for longer and brought forward some Spring favourites*. I bunged them in a cheery tomato can and the table looked brighter immediately.

Tomorrow I'll be hosting a bloghop for January's Making Winter Week. The focus will be on wintry comfort. We'll be sharing cheery creativity to help us through to Spring. Click the link or the Making Winter partcipant list at the top of this page to find out more about the project.

It would be especially fantastic to build up a resource of easy-ish baking recipes for everyone to call on during grey days when we could all do with a pick-me-up. If you've got a good comfort baking recipe and don't mind sharing it then join in with the bloghop and Thriftyhbousehold and I will collate an online Baking Winter Cookbook.

*I found fennel (both flowers and new ferny leaves), winter-flowering jasmine, a hellebore, ivy berries and leaves, wintersweet (the latter two are favourites of Alice) cotoneaster, perennial wallflower, snowberry, and viburnum.

Capturing nature

2012-01-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

Back in the late summer I held a slightly different kind of silver clay workshop here at the cottage. After a cuppa we put on our coats, took up our baskets and went hunting for seeds, berries, leaves and anything we could find in the hedgerows that might have an interesting texture or shape.

We brought our treasures back inside and laid them out with a small sample of my shell collection.

Then came the fun part. We made little casts of the best acorns, berries and shells from our haul and used them to replicate the shapes in fine silver.

We also impressed grasses and leaves directly into the clay to create beautiful freeform pendants. Shepherd's purse and rye grass proved brilliant for this.

Once they were added to a chain with a few choice semi-precious stones there was some gleeful trying-on. Silver acorn anyone?

I've been thrilled at the response to the few workshop dates I put on my website recently. I've added an extra date in March for a nature capture workshop as they're so much fun. Edited to add: just one space left on this workshop.

Other news

There's an extra 5% off (that makes 15%) plus free shipping in my etsy shop until the weekend. Coupon code: NYSALE15
A space has freed up on my silver clay workshop this coming Saturday (due to illness). We will be making silver buttons, flowers, birds and anything that takes our fancy. We will also be eating homemade cake. Pop over here or leave a comment if you're free and would like to come along. Edited to add: Space now filled.
This month's Making Winter week will begin on Monday 23rd January.

Resolve

2012-01-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

Many bloggers have eschewed resolutions this year. I know that my own New Year's good intentions have often been forgotten or set aside by the time Spring arrives. Despite this I do have a few things I resolve to do more of in 2012:

Make time to bake. Once a week would be good.

Stop worrying about dust in the corners and have friends round to eat more often.

Make my own granola. The very word evokes jokes about macrame potholders, flares and lentils for me but it's a good, tasty breakfast.*

Take up a new craft. The jewellery-making used to be my main source of relaxation. Now that it has started to become more of a day job I need an alternative. Willow weaving is top option at the moment.**

Take daily walks round the village and in our wood. They are such good places to be and I often forget that. All these images came from a half hour walk this afternoon within half a mile of our cottage.

This bench is my favourite spot in the wood. Here there are dogroses, hawthorn (blossom and berries) and a walnut tree.

Sometimes the girls and the Mr come with me to the bench and we have a mini picnic. Fairy houses are built out of sticks (above is the remains of one built in October). We will be coming here more often.

A kingfisher lives here. I didn't see him/her today.

*Any good recipe links gratefully received.
** Perhaps I can weave my own granola.

Little etsy sale

2012-01-03T03:11:00.000-08:00

There is a little New Year sale on in my etsy shop at the moment. Not only is there free shipping but also 10% off for a week, starting today. The coupon code to enter at checkout is NYSALE10.

After the sale there will be new stock arriving in the shop, including vintage lockets (I recently found a beautiful, oval Georg Jensen locket), a beehive pendant and some vintage doily necklaces.

I will also be making and listing some hand drawn brooches like the one I gave to Rebecca. Once the bulbs start to emerge in our garden I plan to capture the seasonal flowers regularly this way.

I am excited about 2012. My head is buzzing with new designs for, dare I say it, the Spring.

Checking it twice

2012-01-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

I'm aware that lovely as the Making Winter Flickr mosaics are, they don't always contain the gorgeous goings on of bloggers who are not on Flickr. I needed to remedy the situation so I have made a list of all the participants of the project (there are seventy of us (!) including me) both on blogs and in the Flickr pool and put them on a separate page of my blog - click the link at the top there or go here.

If you have been joining in with the cheery seasonal goodness and I haven't put your link in the list then drop me a line and I'll remedy that straight away.

Photo credits:
1. Green Rabbit Designs 2. The List Writer 3. Lola Nova 4. During Quiet Time 5. Little Cotton Rabbits 6. Little Cottage Comforts 7. Scented Sweetpeas

In other news, this was my Boxing Day sandwich, containing leftover Christmas dinner, including slices of roast potato and horseradish sauce. It was delicious.

Decorate, celebrate, make and eat

2012-01-01T04:55:00.000-08:00

The Making Winter Project has been an absolute joy over the festive season. It's been an unexpectedly tricky few weeks here so the images, blogposts, comments and contributions from all who have taken part have been absolutely invaluable. Thankyou so much. I have collated some images together from the Flickr pool to give a feel for just how uplifting everyone's creativity can be en masse.

The mosaic above is called simply Make,

1. Little Cotton Rabbits 2. The List Writer 3. Green Rabbit Designs 4. Farfromharmfarm
5. Thriftyhousehold 6. Andamento 7. Saidos da Concha 8. Scented Sweetpeas
9. Farfromharmfarm 10. Little Cotton Rabbits 11. Scented Sweetpeas 12. Spruce St

This one is called Decorate and Celebrate:

1. Quince Tree 2. Me 3. Andamento 4. During Quiet Time
5.During Quiet Time 6. Itchin Stitchin 7. Lina 8. The List Writer
9. The Knobby Knitter 10. During Quiet Time 11. Saidos de Concha 12. The List Writer
13.Yellowhouse 72 14.Scented Sweetpeas 15. Lola Nova 16. Het Bovenhuis

....and finally, Eat

1. Lola Nova 2. Yellowhouse 72 3. The Quince Tree 4. Thrifty Household
5. Saidos da Concha 6. Saidos da Concha 7. VinGar 8. Lina
9. Thrifty Household 10. Green Tea Comfort 11. The Quince Tree 12. During Quiet Time

I think they're wonderful and they cover many of the hygge themes that Sue described and that Making Winter embraces wholeheartedly. To see even more gorgeous images the December 2011 Making WInter blog hop is here.

Some images cannot be used in mosaics because of privacy settings but contributions from Mrs Micawber Peeriemoot, Planet Penny, Driftwood (especailly her wonderful pinecone biscuits), The Fluff Pot and Paula's Homemade Life are just gorgeous.

The Flickr pool also holds tasters of some New Year themes, fresh starts and hints of a new season. I do like this time of year - it always has a feeling of possibilities and new starts.

1. Saidos da Concha 2. Saidos da Concha 3. Thrifty Household

The January Making Winter week will begin on Monday 23rd January. This month can sometimes be a tough one so the focus will be on comfort, cosiness and things that can cheer a grey winter's day. We may even factor in some cold and 'flu remedies, just in case. Mrs Thriftyhousehold and I do hope you might join in. I can vouch for it being a very good thing to do.

Happy New Year x

Small pantomime

2011-12-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

The girls' main present was a puppet theatre. We've been treated to a couple of little plays since Christmas morning, mostly involving a monkey, a selection of pigs and a rather two-dimensional princess. I captured one of these performances yesterday morning.

It's chaotic. Part way through one of the stage hands gets bored and asks if she can 'play with playdoh in a minute', I ran out of batteries before the finale and the entire production takes place in pyjamas but I think this might become a family favourite. Merry Christmas.

P.S. Festive preparations took over in the last week and I haven't yet managed to compile the Making Winter mosaics. They'll be on their way soon.

Christmas commission

2011-12-20T04:31:00.000-08:00

I think this has to be my favourite silver fingerprint commission to date. The customer was keen on the pendants hanging along the chain rather than graduated sizes on top of one another. She requested aquamarine (which would be my choice) and a handmade silver flower and leaf. The two outer prints are of six year old twins and the central one is of a ten year old.

This is a new necklace style for me and I think I'll be offering this as an alternative to my other fingerprint designs. It'll reach my customer in time for you-know-when (thanks to the rather wonderful Royal Mail special delivery service), which is a lovely thought. I'm hoping she might wear it on the big day.

O, Christmas twig

2011-12-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas tree is little - it has to be or it might be a struggle to get in through the front door. I kept a few decorations back to make a painted Christmas twig, inspired by a few I've seen in recent weeks. I have to admit, I really like minimal, natural Christmas decorations, especially on our newly exposed very old brickwork.

The surface of this wall was sad, sagging ancient plaster board and crumbling plaster until a month or two ago. The replastering hadn't worked in this bit of the room so we had to rethink. The crumbly bits were removed to expose this beautiful wall and, very excitingly, the fact that the mysterious cubby hole I blogged about last year did used to be a teeny tiny window. It has now been reinstated.

We can peep through from the living room to the dining room. You might imagine that a certain toy pig and monkey enjoy speedy transit through the window at regular intervals, sometimes narrowly avoiding landing in cups of tea.

We're not exactly sure how old the brickwork and window are but a glazed window from the far side of this wall has been dated to the early to mid 1700s. Our neighbours claim to have Tudor brickwork in their garden!

As for the doily bauble, it was quite tricky - there was a spot of reconstruction required after the balloon was popped but it was serious, gooey fun to do and I recommend it.

Officially, Making Winter week draws to a close tomorrow, but I suspect we'll be extending it for a few days as there's so much lovely festive creativity going on. There are some truly beautiful projects and images over in the Flickr pool, I'm especially keen on Amy's exquisite origami, Lola Nova's paper house diorama and Julie's stunningly beautiful mittens. Mrs TH and I will be working on mosaics over the next few days.

Making Winter: doily bauble experiment

2011-12-15T04:21:00.000-08:00

Firstly massive thanks for your contributions to Making Winter. I have definitely been enjoying myself more due to making more and seeing the results of others' making. This month's blog hop is here at Thrifty Household if you fancy joining in.

In the last few days I had a definite makey urge when I spotted two festive online projects in particular. My Star Wars nerdery is not something I mention much around here. Myself and Big Lad share a knowledge of the scripts of the original trilogy that is frankly a little embarrassing. That said, certain lines can be useful in a variety of everyday situations, in particular

'I have a very bad feeling about this', or perhaps, in the face of vegetable-eating reluctance:

'This is the broccoli you are looking for.'

Imagine my excitement when I saw this Death Star lego bauble. The Mr and I will be making one.

I spotted this beautiful doily lampshade tutorial too. I will be making one of these for our stairwell, but I thought it might translate to a small bauble version so I have given it a try with my ever growing stash of dolls house doilies and vintage lace (plus a small balloon and some wallpaper paste):

Imagine my delight when from a certain angle it resembles a slightly folksy vintage version of the lego creation above. Excellent!.

This is a work in progress. I shall pop the balloon tomorrow morning and report back on its success.

In other Making Winter news my favourite decoration of all, the bottlebrush Christmas Squirrel bought from Neal Street East donkeys years ago, has emerged from the cupboard. He's looking wistfully at the village green as though he fancies a game of football.

I am knitting. Yes, knitting: a baktus scarf thanks to excellent advice from Ali and Tracy whilst in Loop recently.

I am crocheting too. Huge thanks to Not So Granny, who taught me how. So far I have only made a coaster/mug rug, but it has a picot edge, and it is my first successful project so I'm foolishly proud of it.

Gaining and using some yarn skills was part of my Making Winter wish list. I'm thrilled that I've managed it.

Making Winter: pinecone bauble tutorial

2011-12-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

Today marks the beginning of December's Making Winter week. This purpose of this project is to help those who can find winter a slog (including me) to embrace the good things of the season through making, baking, cosying up and getting out for winter walks. You can read more about it here and November's celebrations are here.

Yesterday we decorated the cottage. Never have I enjoyed it more. Most of our decorations are handmade and include lino print reindeer and thrushes from Celia, screenprinted Bloomsbury stars and baubles from summersville, a peg angel from Gina, and my newest additions, a knitted leaf garland by A Crooked Sixpence (Emma Lamb's Mum) and two beautiful stockings with crochet heels by Minus Sun.

The little ones and I add to the decorations each year. I tried out an airdrying clay pinecone bauble design in 2010 and have made a few more this year. Here is a tutorial if you'd like to give them a go.

You will need:

White airdrying clay (I used this brand)

Graduated primrose/dogrose-shaped cutters (available here and here).*

Small rolling pin (a large marker pen would do)

1mm galvanised wire (from garden centres)

Pliers (preferable round-nosed) and wire cutters

Piece of plastic to stop clay sticking to tabletop (I used part of an old carrier bag)

Tile or plate

Ribbon

Small pot of water

Optional: Oven set very low (around 80 degrees C)

Instructions

1) Roll out some clay on the piece of plastic to around half a centimetre thick and cut out four of the largest primrose shapes. The edges will be slightly rough so smooth them out with your finger (a paintbrush works well too).

2) Place one of the shapes smoothest side down. Wet the centre slightly and place the second shape on top, pressing the middle firmly with your finger and ensuring that the petal shapes are off centre (misaligned with the petals beneath to create the look of a pinecone). Repeat this process with the remaining two shapes.

3) Pick up the partially formed pinecone and begin to bend the 'petals' upwards gently to create a pinecone-like shape.

4) Make a ball of clay the size of a small marble. Wet the centre of the pinecone and place the ball of clay in. Press firmly.

5) Roll and cut out three of the middle-sized primrose shape. Smooth the edges as before, wet the top of the ball of clay in the centre of the pinecone and stick one of the newly cut shapes to it, ensuring the petals are off centre. Bend the petals up slightly to continue to create the look of a pinecone. Repeat with the remaining two shapes.

6) Roll and cut out two of the smallest primrose shape. Using the same process stick one into the centre of the pinecone to complete the shape.

7) Cut a piece of galvanised wire around 10cm long and create a loop at one end using pliers and cutters. Insert the loop about 2 cm into the top of the pinecone and turn it through 90 degrees.

8) Wet the top of the pinecone around the wire, pierce the remaining small clay primrose with the wire and push it down onto the top of the pinecone so that it sticks.

9) Let the pinecone airdry overnight or bake it on a very low oven for 10-15 minutes.

10) Use your pliers and cutters to create a loop using the wire at the top of the cone. The wire may be a little loose - don't worry, simply push the loop into the top of the cone.

11) Add ribbon and hang from your tree.

Mrs Thriftyhousehold is hosting the Making Winter bloghop this week. If you'd like to share some festive creativity do pop over and link in, then we can all have a peep. Mrs TH has a new button to grab too.

The Making Winter Flickr pool is looking wonderful. I especially love Lina's Graham Cracker tiny houses.

I'll be back later in the week. I have plans for some homemade willow stars.

I can safely say that Mrs TH's homemade Limoncello is by far the best I've ever tasted. Her recipe is here. This stuff is seriously good...

*Flower shapes with smooth-ended or pointed petals would also work well

Winner

2011-12-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

Just dashing past to announce the winner of the silver clay giveaway: it's number 65, Calico Kate. Congratulations Kate - please could you email me your address and the book and kit will be on its way to you soon.

Sorry for the delay, there was a sixth birthday party here at the weekend.

Monkey cake pops featured, as did make-your-own glitter pipe cleaner hats,

and a game of musical flowers.

Happy Birthday little one.

December's Making Winter Week will begin next Monday (12th). Mrs Thriftyhousehold will be hosting the blog hop this month where you can share winter's good things.

I suspect next week will involve decorations. I have a tutorial planned.

Meanwhile it's back to preparation for the Selvedge Christmas Fair.

The news

2011-11-25T12:01:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of jewellery to make around here. Pictured above is a floristry-themed bracelet wip (the 3D watering can was a challenge. It does hold water, but doesn't sprinkle).

It's so lovely to have orders and commissions but it eats into blogging time. I feel a little out of touch. I thought I'd pop by for a summary of the news.

The arrival of the Christmas fair season means that I need packaging. Lots of it. I use little buff envelopes and oval boxes on which I draw the little bird motif that seems to have become my logo. My Grandad used to draw a very similar bird on little notes he wrote to me.

Recently Ali made the very sensible suggestion of a rubber stamp to save time. She asked me to sketch the bird in her notebook when Tracy, Ali and I grabbed lunched at Raystitch a couple of weeks ago .Then she proceeded to carve one for me. I think it's perfect and I've been using it alot - visit Pomona's blog for a well-lit image of the resulting boxes and of her poorly wrist.

Thankyou so much Ali. (Excuse the terrible dark photo - it's been hectic here today).

Image from Pick N Mix Makers Market blog

Tomorrow is the Pick N Mix Makers market in Holt, Norfolk, organised by Lisa of BoboBun. It's always such a fabulous event - a very tempting mix of handmade and vintage and an excellent Christmas shopping opportunity. If you're nearby it would be lovely to see you. Celia and Penny will also have stalls there tomorrow.

The Selvedge Christmas Fair is in just 2 weeks' time on Saturday 10th December. The full lineup of exhibitors is here. It's hard to describe the feeling at seeing my name up there alongside Emma Lamb and Julie Arkell. I am rather nervous but hope that all will be well.

I have ordered some Moo business cards for the first time.

I will be holding some new silver clay workshops in the New Year, both here at my cottage and at The Make Lounge in London. Click the links to find out more. Above is a mosaic of the silver charms made by attendees of my recent Make Lounge classes. In the middle is Kristina's beautiful charm bracelet made by imprinting vintage buttons into the silver clay.

The silver clay kit and Kirstie Allsopp 'Craft' book giveaway will close at midnight tonight. Juliet and I will draw the winner next week.

The next Making Winter week will start on Monday 12th December rather than Monday 5th. Apologies for the change of plan. The flickr pool is looking beautiful. Here is the premise of the Making Winter project if you'd like to join in.

...and finally, next week I will be making monkey cake pops with chocolate button ears for a small someone's sixth birthday party.

Amongst the playlist for her party is this song:

which is a firm favourite around here and feels quite Friday-ish.

Giveaway: Kirstie Allsopp 'Craft' book AND a silver clay kit

2011-11-18T01:41:00.000-08:00

I mentioned a giveaway recently. This is a very exciting one. I have joined forces with my main supplier of silver clay and the woman who taught me how to make things from it, the lovely Juliet of Spoilt Rotten Beads.

Silver clay is the medium I use to make my jewellery. It is a ceramic with particles of sterling silver and an organic binder that can be modelled, dried and fired on a gas hob to create beautiful fine silver pieces.

I'm thrilled to say that that Juliet has offered a silver clay starter kit for the giveaway alongside my extra copy of the new Kirstie Allsopp book!

There is only one exclamation mark there but truly, this is fabulous. Huge, huge thanks Juliet.

The kit contains 7g of silver clay, enough to make about 8-10 beautiful charms or two or three pendants, and all the tools you need to get started.

So, not only could you browse through fifty lovely tutorials (including my silver button tutorial) and beautifully-styled images and see pictures of Kirstie learning things but you could begin to make your own fine silver jewellery too as the winner will received both.

I plan to begin posting silver clay tutorials in the coming weeks, so that more people can discover how ace this special clay really is.

You may have seen Kirstie Allsopp using silver clay to make a beautiful key and leaf pendant on Wednesday evening's episode of Kirstie's Handmade Britain. If you missed it there is a video here and a tutorial here.

So, to the nitty gritty of the giveaway:

If you would like to win this giveaway prize (the book plus the kit, worth a total of around £59) then please leave a comment here telling me:

What you would most like to make using silver clay
Four of the items in the Artclay silver starter kit*

The giveaway will also be posted on Spoilt Rotten Bead's facebook page for Juliet's customers to enter.

If you would like an extra entry then feel free to grab my button and link back here or mention it on your blog:

This giveaway is open to everyone, not just UK readers.

Juliet and I will put all entries into the random number generator and draw the winner in a week's time.

Best of silvery luck! (Oh and please check the nitty gritty above for entry requirements, many thanks).

*Here is a clue

Making Winter:November mosaics

2011-11-07T03:36:00.000-08:00

No knitted knickers, Me, The Quince Tree
Peeriemoot, Miss Red Riding Hood, Thrifty Household
Peeriemoot, The Quince Tree, Me

This first week of the Making Winter project has been wonderful and it has begun to work. I've only scowled at the grey sky once or twice, I've got my finger out and made wintry things and got out into the woods to take more walks. The range of seasonal creativity and images of cosiness, crafts and comfort foods appearing on blogs and in the flickr pool has been fabulous. Thankyou so much to everyone who has joined in.

Sue at the Quince Tree has introduced me to a new word: hygge. It's a Danish word that means to embrace winter with good food, good company, snuggling in and lighting candles. It describes this project perfectly.

Mrs Thriftyhousehold and I noticed that light has been a strong theme this week. As the clocks changed back to GMT we have had less light during the day, pumpkins lanterns have been carved and lit, we made pinecone firelighters and flowerpot candles and of course we had bonfire night here in the UK. I thought this week could be summed up by light-themed mosaic from the flickr pool (see above)

There has been a good deal of beautiful yarn-based activities too. One of my resolutions as part of this project is to gain some yarn skills.

Green Rabbit Designs, Little Cotton Rabbits, Forestpoppy
Little Cottage Comforts, Greenteacomfort, Green Rabbit Designs
Hoola Tallulah, Knitsofacto, Little Cotton Rabbits

I'm going to be continuing with the hygge activities over the coming weeks and continuing to add pictures to the flickr pool:

Our willow wigwam has lost its leaves. It's a good time to start using this year's growth - I have potato sieve trivet and wreath plans.
Not So Granny lives in the next village and is holding a beginner crochet session in a couple of weeks. I'm determined.
Sunday 20th November is Stir Up Sunday. Mrs TH shall be tutoring me in the ways of making mincemeat
We shall be sampling her homemade hedgerow liqueurs.

Next month's Making Winter week will begin on Monday 5th December. I expect there will be homemade decorations and festive baking. I'm looking forward to it.

Flowerpot candle tutorial

2011-11-06T03:42:00.000-08:00

I came home with a fantastic haul of tiny terracotta flowerpots from a car boot sale a month or two ago. I often stick a lit candle or a tealight in a flowerpot but I fancied taking it one step further with my little collection. Here's a quick tutorial for making flowerpot candles.

You will need

Flowerpots or other small containers of your choice
Wax. I bought some with added stearin (hardener) from here. Here's another online option.
Container wicks. I bought mine from the same online shop as above.
Double boiler (bowl placed over a pan of simmering water)
Scoop or small pot to transfer wax to pots (I used an old sippy cup)
Duct tape or sealing tape
Scissors
Sharp knife
Baking tray or plate
Foil or greaseproof paper

If your pots are secondhand like mine, then wash them out. I was impatient to get going so I dried them on a baking tray in the oven at 100 degrees C for ten minutes or so.

Once the pots are dry (and have cooled) seal the drainage holes with a piece of duct tape or sealing tape.

Cover a baking tray or plate with foil or greaseproof paper and put the flowerpots on it. If your pots are of different sizes like mine then place a container wick in each one and cut them to size so that the top of the wick is about 1cm above the top of the pot. Remove the wicks from the pots and set aside.

Melt the wax in a bowl over gently simmering water.

When it has melted completely, scoop some into each pot until the level is about 1 cm below the top of the pot. I had a little extra wax so grabbed our kitchen penny pot, an old bovril teacup, and made an extra candle.

Let the wax cool for a few minutes until it has a skin on the surface and is a soupy consistency. Use the knife to pierce a hole in the skin and insert the wick.

As the wax solidifies you can move the wick slightly so that it's in the middle of the candle.

As the wax is cooling tap the pots to allow any bubbles to rise to the surface. Allow the wax to solidify completely before lighting.

Having a small candle-lighting session each evening before nestling under a quilt is a good thought. I'm glad I made these.

I was at a bonfire-themed Underground Farmers' Market in London yesterday. It was a fabulous event but it means that I'm running a little behind. I'll make a mosaic or two from the Making Winter flickr pool for tomorrow and draw this lovely week to a close.

Meanwhile this week's bloghop is here. There's so many ace seasonal projects - do go and take a peep.

An interruption to our scheduled programming...

2011-11-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Liz Rhodes from BBC Cambridgeshire came to sit and chat with me about my jewellery-making at the bottom of the garden. Then we fired a silver clay button. It was fun. The dog was there too.

Liz's interview with me was broadcast today and you can hear it on the iplayer here dated 03/11/2011 (available for six days). The interview starts 22 minutes in.

Making Winter week will resume tomorrow and continue until Sunday 6th.

If you're blogging along and would like to join in this week then the linky list is here.

There's lots of seasonal loveliness to peep at over in the Making Winter flickr pool.

(The images are of some new designs using vintage dolls' house doilies and bright 1950s Czech beads. I've been making things for Ms Marmite Lover's Underground Farmer's Market in Kilburn this coming Saturday).

Making Winter bloghop

2011-11-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

I admit to a state of semi-hibernation during winter. I often hide indoors, stuff my cheeks with cake like a slightly mopey hamster and long for March. Part of the aim of this wintry project is for me to get outside more. I live in a rural village - there's a wood behind my house for goodness sake. I've got no excuse.

I have good intentions for this part of the project and this morning youngest, the dog and I pulled our wellies on and walked the 400 yards or so up the farm track into our village wood.

I'm so glad we did.

In the last few days the leaves have turned.

The colours are astonishing.

It's a cliche, but some of the trees look as though they're on fire.

This walk was no chore - it left us feeling elated.

It will be tougher to take the same walk when January arrives. By then the predominant colours will be grey and brown, but I'll know that under the soil there are seven or eight bee orchids and at least one pyramidal orchid. I'll also know that a nightingale will return here in April. These are good thoughts.

I was excited to see Mrs TH's Andy Goldsworthy-inspired woodland sculptures. I'm going to try a spot of this.

If you like to blog along with Making Winter week (continuing until Sunday 6th November) then pop your link in the list below - then we can all hop over to visit.

Making winter week

2011-10-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

The temperature reached 19 C in the Southeast of England today, around 8 degrees higher than average for this time of year. It does not feel as though winter's nearly here. Yet the clocks changed back to GMT this morning, marking our passage into the new season and bringing dusk forward by an hour.

There was a definite sign of winter last week. Hundreds of redwings and fieldfares flew over and into our village as they arrived in the UK from Scandinavia. It was a dramatic sight (you can see beautiful images of it here).

Starting today, Mrs Thriftyhousehold and I will be hosting Making Winter week around the beginning of each month until February. We'll be sharing what we've been making and baking. I will be dragged outside for lovely walks, apparently. We may knit things. She will be trying to convince me that this season has good things to offer.

The ceremonial first lighting of our open fire is, I have to admit, quite a good thing. Recently I remembered Diana's beautiful homemade pinecone firelighters. I was lucky enough to receive some in the post from her a year or two ago and I was keen to make some for myself. Mrs TH had beeswax, old candles and an astonishing array of essential oils. I had a huge bag of pinecones.

We melted the wax and added a few drops each of clove, orange and black pepper oils,

dipped the pinecones and left them to dry on some newspaper.

They smelled wonderful, as Diana says they looked rather 'frosty' after their dipping and the whole process took just half an hour.

Yesterday there was a nip in the air and I built a fire using our homemade lighters. The pinecones flared up, crackled and the smoke was scented. They made made the whole process a joy.

It was a good start to the new season.

These pinecones firelighters make such good presents (I was thrilled when I received my little bagfull). I think they would be great used to light small campfires and outdoor firebaskets too. Huge thanks to Diana at Pebbledash. She shares a full tutorial here.

I have been taking a few other steps to embracing the approaching winter:

Kristina has been helping me to find a cowl pattern suitable for knitty beginners.

I spied and tried a warming and delicious Nigel Slater recipe last week

I baked Rebecca's apple cake recipe and will be doing so again. It's perfect for the cold weather.

Making winter

2011-10-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I'm less than enamoured with winter. The recent unseasonably warm weather has lulled me into a false sense of security. It feels for all the world like Spring around here (I saw an iris flowering in a friend's garden today!). I know it's temporary though. The steely skies, cold days and winter grumps are coming.

Last year I hosted the Splash of Colour project, designed to distract from the greyness, trigger happy brain chemicals and help us through from November to February. I think it worked. Close to a hundred bloggers joined in with eye-popping blogposts and images. Peep here for the final beautiful mosaics from the flickr pool last February.

My good friend Mrs Thriftyhousehold adores winter. It seems bonkers to me, but she even has a list of good wintry things in her sidebar.

Our polar opposite attitudes to the approaching season helped us to hatch a New Plan. Instead of distracting myself from the winter, she thinks she can help me to embrace it, with wintry handmade projects, delicious (probably pastry-laden) recipes, fireside time (with Mrs TH's homemade fruity liqueurs, see above), brisk frosty walks and learning to crochet (something other than a sad, tangled little beard).

I am sceptical but I'm very willing to give it a go.

The new plan is called Making Winter. We will be sharing tutorials, seasonal recipes and lovely wintry images.

Once a month, starting on Sunday 30th October (the morning the clocks return to Greenwich Mean Time here in the UK) we will both host Making Winter week, including a blog hop, and hope you might like to join in. We will be blogging about winter's good things and hopefully about the positive effect the craftiness will have on my winter blahs (all my fingers are crossed here). It would be fabulous if it helped other bloggers a little too. For those who are already sold on winter then blogging the good things about this season would be ace. You may even help to convince the winter sceptics amongst us.

There is a new flickr pool here for sharing beautiful landscapes, seasonal makes and winter's goodness. We will be uploading into it but if others join in then we'd love to make some mosaics each month.

Note: If you live in the Southern hemisphere then we think that the sight of a sweet pea would definitely help a grey January day over here. I promise not to feel too grumpy if you post images of sunny beaches and summer dresses.

In print

2011-10-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

At 5.15 last night I rang up Heffers the bookshop. Yes, they had just taken early delivery of that particular book, would keep a copy aside for me and they were open until 6pm. 'Go, go!' said Mr P, so I went. I got there with 5 minutes to spare, panting and huffing, and bagged an early copy of Kirstie Allsopp's 'Craft'.

I legged it out of the house like that because I contributed a tutorial to the book.

I am resisting the urge to type a lot of 'e's in a row, ending in a 'p' at this point. It is tricky. I am excited.

My tutorial explains how to make little silver button medallions out of silver clay using vintage buttons to imprint patterns on their surface. Silver clay has shot up in price in recent months so I tried hard to keep the cost low and to replace expensive tools with everyday household items wherever possible. The clay can be fired on a camping stove or ordinary gas hob so no fancy kilns or fiery furnaces are required.

There are 49 other craft tutorials in the book from willow weaving (I WILL be making the nest box below) to needle felting; soap-making to applique. It's a very lovely book and perfect for Christmas present ideas (or as a present itself). I am thrilled that my little project was included.

The book accompanies Kirstie Allsopp's new series 'Kirstie's Handmade Britain' in which she is taught to make a variety of lovely craft projects and submits them anonymously into Agricultural and Country shows to be judged by the likes of the WI and NAFAS. Apparently she won at least one first prize with a cake decorated with beautiful frosted flowers. The first episode will be screened on Wednesday 19th October at 8pm on Channel 4. I expect I will be glued to it.*

The styling is beautiful and I love the sheer range of crafts in this book. I think it will help to raise the profile of our wonderful Agricultural and County shows too. They are creative, quirky and fabulous events that celebrate our countryside heritage and I always make a beeline for the craft and display marquees. What's not to like about a pampered pig or a perfectly baked Victoria Sponge?

I have two copies. You've guessed it - I'll be giving one away. Stay tuned....

*A small selection of the tutorials made it into the programme and my button project was not chosen but I am truly and thoroughly excited that it was included in the book. My grammar has flown out of the window. I'm not going to worry about split infinitives today.

Small stuff

2011-10-09T05:16:00.000-07:00

The unscheduled blog silence was due to an unscheduled illness. I couldn't drink tea for six days! This was unprecendented. Tea and I go back a long way. We have never been parted for so long before. Thankfully we were reunited last Tuesday.

Whilst I was poorly it was the small stuff that helped. The little ones, the Mr and the dog visited, told me jokes and cheered me up. Despite the sign, a pig arrived on a Vespa.

Once I'd recovered I realised that the Indie Love Market over at Poppytalk Handmade was galloping closer very quickly (it begins tomorrow) so I had things to make. I went for a walk, looking out for new designs for the Nature Table Series and wasn't disappointed.

Honesty seedpod,

shepherd's purse,

and feather designs have all been added to my etsy shop and Poppytalk Handmade virtual table. Click on the link from tomorrow - it's the 5th anniversary market over there so it should be a good one.

In other news I am THRILLED to have been invited to have a stall at this year's Selvedge Christmas Fair at St Augustine's Church Hall, London on the 10th December.

I would love to see you there.

Finally, something will be arriving in the post this coming Thursday that I'm in danger of becoming rather squeaky about. Kristina has already seen it.

Minibreak

2011-09-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

The week before last was bonkers: stacks of jewellery-making, starting teaching at The Make Lounge in London and fruit pie coordination at a village picnic.

As I said, bonkers. After all that I definitely qualified for zombie status. Mr P took one look at me and suggested I have a break I thought a nap would be good but he insisted I have a night away.

I rang Mrs TH and a day or two later we stayed at Rifleman's cottage run by Pomona and the Head Chef.

Cue the following:

woodburning stove, lovely bloggy chat, homemade flapjack, fish and chips, roast pork dinner, wine, picking hedgerow fruit, stupendous breakfast, trip to the seaside, apple crumble and custard,

...not necessarily in that order. There was also a tour round their beautiful permaculture garden, introduced to pigs, dogs and chickens and were given a crate of homegrown fruit to take home. Ace! The only drawback? I forgot my camera card.

There are two bedrooms - one double and one twin so enough space for a whole family.

It's a fabulous place to stay. You will be looked after.

Collection

2011-09-16T04:56:00.000-07:00

Tiny happy

I've been thinking about collecting. Why do it? Why isn't one enough?

Some think it's driven by an ancient hunter gatherer urge to collect nuts and berries. It makes sense. One hazelnut doesn't make much of a meal.

Jackie, Rebecca at poshyarns

The Victorians were big collectors, driven by a boom in museum-going and a national passion for nature.

Some collecting urges have changed whole economies.

Jackie, Val, Lucie

Modern collections of everyday, even throwaway objects can be just as beautiful.

Monica

Some old wine glasses and the odd bowl of pebbles aren't going to threaten the treasury. Surely I have enough of each and yet I still get excited by finding a hagstone. There aren't any witches round here as far as I know and the glasses are too delicate to use very often.

Mysterious

Me (experiment with pencil drawing on shrinkles)

Inherited from Aunty Minnie (Victorian silver)

Crafty Rie, from the Flowerpress brooch swap - thankyou!

My badge and brooch collection makes a little more sense. Many were made by bloggers and I wear them daily. I own something they have made, however small. Life's busy so I can't meet them in person as often as I'd like, if at all. They help me remember some good days when we did meet. They're precious.

Lucie, Sasha and Elisabeth (made from a vintage plate), cornflower from RSPB

What do you collect?

Nature Table Series

2011-09-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

We've been going for walks. Short walks, because one of us has quite short legs, but we've been bringing back Treasures and Precious Things: pinecones, seedpods, acorns, berries. It's good when treasure is free.

The shapes were so lovely that I began to make necklaces and earrings inspired by the little ones' nature table.

I thought it might be nice to make a second little silver bucket to put some tiny finds in.

Then I heard I'd been accepted to have a virtual table at Poppytalk Handmade's new Mix Tape Market.

Cue some excited dancing about, and some more Making and some Etsying and then some Forgetting to Eat My Lunch. My hair is a bonkers fright wig, but that's because I've been Busy.

The result is the Nature Table Series - a collection of silver things for Autumn.

The Mix Tape Market starts on Monday (12th). There will be lots of beautiful handmade goods so do pop over to Poppytalk Handmade and have a look - there's a link just over there in my sidebar.

Introduction

2011-09-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog a good friend of mine was sceptical.

'Why on earth would you want to look at pictures of hand-knitted socks?'. It was a good question, one that also lurked in my mind at the time.

Fast forward three years or so and I understand. These are not just any old socks.

Often there are reasons why the sock is made,
there is the delicious pleasure of choosing the yarn and pattern,
there is the knowledge that no one else has a sock exactly like it
and, most importantly, there is the chance to show the sock to other people who understand.

In fact, there's an entire community who can help if there are sock-ish problems and give virtual cheers at casting-off time.

It's ace around here.

I've talked about blogging to that same friend many times and always curbed my enthusiasm just a little.

Yet this is a friend who was using thrifted bedsheets to back her quilts, way back in the early nineties, and who has always hung a beautiful collection of vintage plates on her kitchen wall. She's someone who makes her own lip balm and is responsible for giving us our first sourdough culture.

The quilts she has made for me from pre-loved fabrics and teatowels are some of my most prized possessions.

She made the curtains for the beach hut. They speak for themselves.

In recent months I noticed a change. She began to tell me about blogs she was reading - lovely blogs I'd never heard of. I went off to find them, and wondered rather gleefully if she was being drawn towards the inevitable.

She was. She has. She's here, at ThriftyHousehold. It would be wonderful if you popped over to give her a wave.

First

2011-09-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

It's been tricky to find time to blog in recent weeks. There's been too much scooting and sliding and swimming and berry picking going on and, if I'm honest, employment of conciliation services for the odd loud and squawky holiday 'discussion' between the smaller members of the household. I've cursed the rainy days when the three of us couldn't go outside and kick the whatsits out of the pink sparkly football. There are only so many times we can thread beads, 'do baking' or build a pretend cottage for a toy monkey.

In the last week or so there have been a few small changes round here.

We're late arrivals at the sourdough party and our first attempts have been knobbly but I think we're hooked.

We've rummaged for tights at the backs of drawers and put them on.

I've been wrapped up in a vintage crochet blanket in recent evenings. At just £18 it was wrong to leave it on the stall.

I've started making a new silvery collection.

I've noticed some liquid, yellowish sunlight.

Hmm.

I know what most of these changes mean. I know that many of them are good things. It's old news that despite the good things I'm not so excited about the two seasons to come, especially the second one.

I think it's going to be OK though. Last year there was the splash of colour project.

This year there is a New Plan.

Holiday snaps

2011-08-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

First stop: Nana's house in North Yorkshire.We met up with lovely friends and we all built a sandcastle

It was Big. It had stairs and tunnels.

Then the sea came in.

Next stop: this little cottage just a stone's throw from Snape Maltings in Suffolk.

A cat from long ago had helped to make the bricks for the fireplace.

We played in Rendlesham Woods.We did not see any aliens. (Eldest's skirt by Melissa at tiny happy - perfect for playing)

I swam in the North Sea. I can confirm that it was, ahem, bracing.

Some of the local services were slightly worrying.

Aldeburgh beach, as ever, did not disappoint.

It was good to get away.

Pixie tea

2011-07-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

I've had this little (13mm) silver teapot charm for some time. The style of the pot suggests the 1940s so I think it has seen a fair few decades come and go. I mentioned it to a customer (a fellow blogger) who was interested in a commission for her anniversary. We hatched a plan for a tea-themed necklace.

Having been to ceramics evening classes years ago I knew how to attach a handle to a teacup but this was on an entirely different scale. Then came a spoon. I moulded the bowl of the spoon around a tiny freshwater pearl. My Gran's 1940s teaspoons had a row of dints round the edge so I half inched that idea.

I had a partial pixie tea service. I waited a while but no pixies came round so out came the wire and the necklace took shape. Fingers crossed that it ticks the right boxes.

After a couple of months of full-on jewellery-making I think I've got a dose of making fatigue. I'm in need of a bit of semi-horizontal time now so I'm off for a sit down. I'll be back in a week or two with tales of brooches and holidays.

Hit the hut

2011-07-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's been an exciting week around here, much of which has been spent in the little wooden beach hut at the bottom of our garden. It's become one of my favourite places to be in recent months. I found a vintage table here and it was the basis of a plan for a new garden-based workspace. Slowly but surely I've been moving my silver clay, tools, bead boxes and favourite books up there. When the doors are open and it's raining outside it's a great place to be.

My first Open Studio sessions of 2011 took place last weekend. This image was a highlight. I made a little silver bucket some time ago. A visitor was interested in learning silver clay techniques in one of my workshops and I showed her the silver bucket as an example of 3D work. She became very excited and was determined to see if the little bucket were watertight and whether she could wear a flower in it around her neck. It was and she could. She went home with a new necklace.

A few weeks ago I was contacted about a possible feature in a national publication and yesterday a photographer came to take pictures of the garden and the hut. I admit to buying a new dress for the occasion. It was an exciting few hours. More on this story in 2012.

Finally, as it's been rainy around here I've tramped up to the studio in my wellies most days this week. Someone wanted to try them on for size.

Edited to add: The beautiful paper garland on the wall of the hut was made by Sue of Mouse Notebook.

Cambridge Open Studios 2011

2011-07-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't been around here much lately. I've had so many silvery items to make that it's made me a bit scarce. Perhaps I should spend a bit of time on the bloggers' naughty step, or perhaps there's just a limit to the amount that can be squeezed into a day.

Preparations for this year's Cambridge Open Studios have been keeping me super busy - it's a truly fabulous event when over 200 Cambridgeshire artists open up their studios and special sheds during the weekends in July and the public can drop in, find out how the work is made and watch the creative process in action.

Last year was my first ever Open Studio. I sat at the bottom of the garden in my little beach hut and people came to see me. About 150 people! I could hardly believe it. Sometimes we had tea. Sometimes we chilled out in the garden. Mostly we gossiped about making. It was just ace.

I'll be opening up the beach hut this weekend and the weekend of the 23rd and 24th July. I'm even more thrilled this year because I found a (slightly rickety) old table, have set up a new workspace and started making in the hut (pictures to follow) instead of on the dining room table.

I've finally overcome the kiln fear too and have been trying out new enamelled designs inspired by the garden, which is Very Flowery at the moment..

It would be wonderful to see anyone for whom it's not too far. There will be jewels and tea and flowers and chat. Hope to see you there.....

Washing line windmill tutorial

2011-06-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

I have a bit of a passion for windmills. Whenever I go to the seaside I make a small toy windmill purchase. I'm approaching 40 so perhaps I should have grown out of this, but they're colourful, they spin around and they remind me of the beach. Maybe it's not so odd after all.

I've had an idea for washing line windmills knocking around in my head for a while. I find hanging the washing out fairly soothing and zen-like anyway, but these seem to make a line of washing rather lovely.

Here's a tutorial so that you can make your own.

You will need:

Medium card
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Holepunch (I used a scissor-like one)

1mm galvanised wire (available from hardware shops or garden centres)

Wire cutters and pliers (round-nosed if you have them)

Beads (flattish ones work well, plastic or glass are equally good)

Washing line pegs*

I used plastic ones but wooden pegs would work just as well.

1. Mark and cut out a 7cm square of card. I drew some quick pencil lines on one side for some deckchair-
like stripes.

2. Turn over and draw lines between opposite corners to make a cross. Cut from each corner to about two thirds of the way towards the middle.

3. Bring two opposite corners together and fold. Repeat with the other two corners. Use the point where the folds meet to cut a hole about 8mm wide. It doesn't have to be perfectly round.

4. Turn back over and use a hole punch to make holes in each corner as shown, then bend each corner into the middle but don't make a crease, just a loose fold so that each of the corners stay near the centre.

5. Cut a piece of galvanised wire about 20cm long and make a loop at the end using pliers. Thread a bead onto the wire.

6. Poke the other end of the wire through one of the corner holes in the front of the windmill, then through each of the other corner holes in turn and finally through the hole in the 'back' of the windmill. Adjust and gently bend the 'sails' of the windmill at this point so that it spins smoothly if blown.

7. Bend the wire through 90 degrees about 4cm behind the bead. Then use your pliers and fingers to bend the wire into a roundish shape about 1.5cm in diameter as shown.

8. Thread the end of the wire around the middle of the peg and bring the wire round to form a loop as shown above. Twist the end of the wire around the central piece of wire to secure it as shown below. Snip the end off and use your pliers to really squeeze the wire that wraps wound the peg to make sure that it doesn't slide around.

9. Your windmill and its wire may need slight bending and adjustment to ensure that it spins well. When this is done peg on the line.

The proof of the windmill is in the spinning. Here they are in action. The wall behind is rather old (250 years) so please excuse the cracks in it:

Note: The lovely little vintage embroidered tablecloth was a recent and unexpected thankyou present from Steph at Curlew Country. Steph it's enjoyed and admired daily, thankyou so much.

On the verge

2011-06-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

At the moment, the roadsides where I live are crowded with flowers.

Whether it's a single wildflower that creates a drift of colour...

...or self-seeded domesticated plants creating a pretty jumble, personally I think that right now my local verges are as beautiful as any garden.

Sometimes there's a totally unexpected surprise, like this powder blue flax,

...or a flower that's determined to rusticate itself like this clematis that's scrambled up a telegraph pole.

Perhaps I should create a guide to the loveliest verges in East Anglia.

Whilst I was photographing these dog daisies someone walked over to me and whispered about the holy grail of roadside flowers...

...one of Britain's rarest and most exquisite, a bee orchid, just a mile from my house.

Sewing necklace

2011-06-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

Recently I stumbled on one of the loveliest vintage charms I've ever seen: minute, sterling, filligree scissors that are articulated so that they move. What's more they're around seventy years old. Vintage pixie scissors.

By chance I was commissioned to make a tiny silver cotton reel to be delivered today. They're tricky to make and can easily turn out rather ungainly but this morning, thank goodness, all worked out well.

I saw a tiny silver marriage made in heaven so I made an extra silver cotton reel and raided the vintage mother of pearl button stash.

The result is a sewing necklace and it's in my etsy shop.

Speaking of which, whilst the Mr and I were staying in our tiny cottage on Monday my little gumball necklace made it to the front page of etsy!

Dances were danced, let me tell you.

That's what's going on in my Creative Space. See more inspirational makes here.

Edited to add: I'm still quite new to making treasuries but I picked some beautiful making kit from the pages of etsy to make a treasury- do pop over to have a peep - all feedback is very welcome.

Ketchup

2011-06-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

Where did I go? Into jewellery-making land, mostly.

The last few weeks have been a very busy blur. I finished off a collection for Primavera and have been working on my silver brooch for the Flowerpress Brooch swap (pictured below). I can't reveal the recipient's identity as yet as it's a secret swap, but pop over to the Flowerpress blog and the swap flickr pool to see more of the beautiful and covetable brooches soon to be sent to all parts of the world.

There has been another secret project round here, of the 'being in print' variety, but I can't let on until the autumn about that one. I'm beyond excited about it.

In other but even more important news, the littlest daughter turned three yesterday. She is just a month younger than this blog. It's hard to believe I began a blog whilst 36 weeks pregnant. What was I thinking?

The last three years has seen this tiny bundle:

...turn into this, tallerbutstillsmallish, funny, giggly little girl who is prone to making up songs and has a liking for pigs.

Finally, if you're in Norfolk tomorrow and fancy a treat pop along to the Pick and Mix Makers' Market in Holt. It's organised by Lisa at Bobo Bun and if the previous three are anything to go by, will be the place to buy both handmade and vintage things this weekend. You can also see Penny and Celia there. It's sure to be serious fun.

I'll be back next week after a small trip to stay in a teeny thatched wendyhouse with the Mr, to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary (a month early).

Facing the fear

2011-05-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Nearly a year ago I went to learn how to enamel properly with Lynne Glazzard, artist in residence at Whitby Museum. I ground up scary toxic chemicals and made things very hot and suddenly there was melty glass stuck to my silver.

I haven't managed to achieve the same results with a blow torch. I'm sorted for brulees but there have been enamelling fails, and some Anglo Saxon words.

I needed some proper hardware. I needed a kiln.

Just before taking the plunge and just to make sure it wasn't something special about the Yorkshire air that made the enamelling work, I borrowed a kiln on Friday.

Eight hundred degrees. Three very scary words, especially when they're in your own kitchen. I was told that anything that came into contact with the inside of the kiln could burst into flames. I feared for the dog's safety, let alone that of my own arm.

I indulged in displacement activities. I even folded undies for a while rather than go in the kitchen but I knew I needed to face the fear so I ground the enamels and just got on with it.

I made a little silver and enamel forget-me-not brooch (3cm wide). It's a start. In the next day or two I'll be clicking 'add to basket' in the kiln shop.

In other news Nina at Tabiboo has won the little ring and sketchbook giveaway prize. Congratualtions Nina! Please could you email me your address?

Here's the silver beehive

2011-05-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

Where are the bees?

Hiding inside, where nobody sees.

Soon they come a-creeping, out of the hive.

One, two, three, four, five.

Well, three anyway. I'm making a new collection for Primavera.

Huge thanks for all the comments on my third blog birthday giveaway. I will be keeping the giveaway open until Saturday because of the blogger shenanigans.

Three years ago yesterday...

2011-05-14T03:32:00.000-07:00

I was blogging on Wordpress (and I thought that was tricky!).

My third blog anniversary post disappeared! As you probably know, Blogger broke on Thursday night around 8pm UK time and many of Thursday's posts were deleted, lock, stock and comments.

The post was about how lovely and slightly bonkers blogging can be. The best bit by far is the virtual (and real) friends I have met along the way - the encouraging blog comments have spurred me on to make new kinds of shiny things and helped to lift my confidence in my jewellery making.

Big, massive, shiny thanks for visiting and commenting around here - seriously, it helps enormously.

If you had already peeped at my post then apologies for the broken record.

I will still be giving away the little silver, gemstone and vintage bead ring I made for the occasion. I can tailor it to your size, colour and charm choice.

I'll also be giving away this beautiful Angie Lewin sketchbook to be used for ideas and doodling.

I had already received 40 (!) very lovely comments. I still have them in my inbox and will count those as entries for my giveaway.

If you didn't get a chance to enter but would like to then we can start again from here. Everyone is welcome to enter - lurkers and new followers included.

Here's hoping that Blogger doesn't break again!

Today in the garden

2011-05-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

I have to confess to stepping out into the garden and sometimes seeing only the tasks that I haven't managed to complete (or even begin). Today I decided that this was a daft mindset and that I needed to focus on the good stuff going on out there.

I picked a few flowers, stuck them in a tumbler and suddenly it was easier to overlook the patchy lawn, weedy veg bed and jumbled stack of triffid-like tayberry bushes (about which I have no clue what to do- any tips welcome).

Here are the cheery things I spotted:

Thrifted red enamel garden shelves (£2 at a car boot last summer)

Porthole I made in the living willow wigwam this February.

Garden archeology - I think our flower beds may once have been a Victorian waste tip.

Hop shoots. These are edible, apparently.

Flax flowers. Each bloom lasts just one day. (Excuse the hosepipe and snoozing dog).

My beachy bunting, still going strong.

.Oh and a pig in a wheelbarrow.

Edited to add:

I just clicked on the images of eldest (now 5 1/2) in the willow wigwam, newly contructed in 2008. She was 2 and I was 6 months pregnant. I built the thing in the rain in the middle of March. That's some slightly bonkers largescale crafting/nesting urge I must have been having.

One weekend, two celebrations

2011-05-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

In 1201 King John granted a charter for a fair in our village. During the last week of April every year the fairground rides arrive on the village green ready for May Day. This year the helter skelter was built right outside our sitting room window. Excitement was at fever pitch.

Combine that with a Royal wedding garden party with free rides on Friday afternoon and it was almost too much.

We even had a Royal line up.

See if you can spot:

1) Our cottage (it's pink)
2) Me having a greedy moment on the far left.

Thirty nine

2011-04-28T02:57:00.000-07:00

1973, channelling Brian Glover

I seem to have lost my blogging voice recently.

I'm not sure there's a lozenge for that.

All I can do is take a step back and hope it returns soon.

Meanwhile I'm enjoying my helium balloons, new red wellies and the chocolate hidden inside them this morning.

Later I'm looking forward to eating the cake made by Mr P and his two small helpers (their first cake-making adventure) and opening the exciting parcel that just arrived from a faraway friend.

Mr P is taking me for a romantic kebab this evening (our favourite kind of date).

That birthday is just a year away now. Should I be daunted?

Thanks so much for popping over to visit (see - I'm even waving with my feet).

Have a lovely day

2011-04-24T02:08:00.000-07:00

Beady outreach

2011-04-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been thrilled to find a few little treasures whilst trawling antique markets.

When I stumbled on a tiny vintage sterling camera charm I had to have a little sit down. Then I found a teapot charm too. It was almost too much.

Putting together tiny collections like this charm bracelet is one of my favourite kinds of jewellery making. It's like wearing a miniature cabinet of curiosities on the wrist. There's a little brass locket on there too with a tiny vintage mother of pearl button hiding inside.

A Spring-like mid century forget-me-not locket was another thrill to discover.

Beady outreach is a good feeling too. Broken and neglected necklaces are whisked off to my equivalent of the dolly hospital. These 1950s opaque glass blossom beads were lying sad and tired at the bottom of a bits box in a junk shop.

These three treasures formed a mini etsy and poppytalk handmade update today.

Sometimes...

2011-04-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

..nature conjures something so astonishing that only a picture can do it justice.

Snakeshead fritilaries blow me away.

It's a chequered flower. For crying out loud!. That's some flabbergasting evolution. You can visit meadows and meadows of them here.

My fritillary is growing in its own tiny water meadow (galvanised bucket with limited drainage).

As though it weren't lovely enough I had a gobsmacking thrifting moment recently.

Can you spot it?

Yep. A vintage snakeshead fritillary teacup.

Oh my sainted aunt.

Tabular

2011-04-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

Our vintage trestle table has cheered me up no end in the last day or so. I'm sure it's helped to banish my sore throat and cough. About time too - arriving uninvited and staying around for two weeks is just rude if you ask

me.

I drank my first cuppa sitting at it this morning. It felt very good in the sunshine.

Yesterday the first meal was eaten around it. The girls and I (and a small friend) had made a kind of mini cafe, complete with lighted lantern.

Apparently it was made in the fifties. I like to think it was used in a village hall, although its seen some decorating action too - there are splashes of paint here and there.

The surface is so worn and smooth. At first I thought I might paint it but the wood grain is too lovely.

It's a good table. We're hoping for fun times round it this Spring and summer.

Edited to add: Another thing that's perked me up is firing and polishing this commissioned rose pendant just now - a present for a thirtieth birthday.

Spring notebook

2011-04-06T02:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie, I'm quite tired- there's been more 'flu-like illness round here and there's another child off school. I am at risk of becoming a blog whingebag/broken record on this topic so I will not dwell on it.

Instead I've taken a leaf out of Lynn's book today, for which read totally half-inched her post idea:

Weather: Spring-like and warm

Feeling: jaded but cheered by the sunshine.

Wishing for: a few weeks free of virus

Remembering: that warmer weather is here and that my rhubarb will make a very good crumble.

Focussing on: vintage sixty-year old trestle found at carboot - our new old garden table.

Wondering: when we'll have our first meal in the garden.

Grateful for: the astonishing ability of an easel and paints to cheer a little girl.

Triumph: rediscovering Percy Piglets*

*Which I snapped for Poppytalk Spring Colour Week. Today's colour is pink and there is goodness to see in the Flickr pool here.

Flashback

2011-04-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

Life is pretty hectic at the moment. Good hectic, but still, there seems less time to blog. This image is a flashback to exactly a year ago - an early morning warm and sunny sandpit session. I'm hoping there might be a few more of these in the coming weeks.

I'm horribly overdue with the draw for the little cherry blossom necklace. My draw raised £75 for the British Red Cross effort in Japan so huge thanks for that. The winner of the necklace picked by random.org is the tenth receipt, Mandy of A Beatnik Love Affair. Congratulations Mandy, if you will email me your address it will be in the post very soon.

I have both kite-themed and rose-themed jewellery projects on the go at the moment. More on those stories later...

Stand and stare

2011-03-25T04:55:00.000-07:00

This morning I realised I hadn't chilled out during the day recently - I tend to dash around getting everything done and juggling things and then slump at 7.30pm. Instead of launching headlong into the day and feeling, well, somewhat strung out at times, I decided on a different approach today.

I did not turn the computer on but started the day by listening to this exquisite meditative piece by Arvo Part. It seemed to relax the little ones too.

Then I took a cuppa into the garden. I hadn't done that yet this year. I stood and stared for a little while. I spotted a tiny wren hopping in the flower bed and some self-seeded forget-me-nots about to flower. It was a good plan - I had a sudden urge to make tiny versions of both and what's more I felt less rushed.

These little pieces will be part of my table at the Spring and Eco Poppytalk Handmade market which begins on Monday.

Today is the last day of my tiny silver cherry blossom raffle for Japan. I will be drawing the winner over the weekend.

A few days ago

2011-03-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

...Spring arrived

...all of a sudden

...in a flowery explosion.

One day it was grey and cold

..and seemingly the next

..the weather was milder

...and blossom was everywhere.

Brilliant.

Japan Quake Appeal: silver cherry blossom

2011-03-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Jo who blogs at A bit of this and that has launched an appeal for the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. There is a master list of all the blogs taking part here.

I'm joining in by running a raffle on this post to give away this little silver cherry blossom necklace - in Japan it is a symbol of hope.

The raffle is open to anyone, no matter where you live
If you'd like you name in the hat for this raffle please could you donate £5 to the British Red Cross by clicking here (you can highlight the 'Other' box and click through to donate)
You will receive a payment reference number- please pop that number in your comment here
You may enter as many times as you like but each comment should have a receipt number
You may also enter by emailing me with a reference number
Postage is free

The raffle will end on Friday 25th March - I will draw a winner that evening using random.org. Thankyou x

2011-03-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

Fingerprint

2011-03-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

It's not often that I post pictures of my fingerprint commissions but I liked the idea of the simple discs and interchangeable gem clusters requested by my most recent customer.

The silver clay I use to make make my jewellery, including these little silver pendants, is astonishing stuff - a ceramic that has particles of silver rather than particles of stone within it. Once the finger is pushed into the clay, dried and fired the impression is there forever. It's as though the clay has taken a snapshot of the unque detail and the smallness of the fingerprint. It's quite humbling really - I make the rest of the pendant pretty and etch in names and ages but the fingerprint itself is the star.

This was a special commission for the customer's friend - it was the friend's little ones whose fingerprints I cast. The recipient is unwell and the necklace was made to cheer her. It felt good to make something that might lift someone else's spirits.

P.S. There's free shipping to anywhere in my etsy shop at the moment.

Foraging in March: tasty greens

2011-03-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

I live in a rural village and I do feel more in tune with the seasons than when I lived in Cambridge or London but there are edible treats to be had in the countryside near here that I often miss out on. I know they're out there but most of the time I'm so caught up with family life and cooking with supermarket or at best farmers market-acquired food that I don't think to go foraging.

This year I plan to remedy that a little.

March is a good month to start foraging - leaves are at their freshest and newest. Really good ingredients for salads and savoury sauces can be found easily. Parks and derelict land are just as good for foraging as full blown countryside.

Three plants to look for this month:

Hawthorn leaves (above left image). Their traditional country name is 'bread and cheese'. The leaves emerge as little clusters and can be eaten straight from the hedgerow. They're fresh, nutty and delicious.

(Note: On hawthorn bushes the leaves emerge first in early March, on blackthorn/wild plum bushes the blossom emerges first in late March).

Jack-by-the-hedge or Garlic mustard. The clue's in the name - this grows at the base of hedges, is a relative of cabbage and rocket and has quite a strong flavour with a gentle hint of garlic. It grows in the US too.

At this time of year the plants form small clusters of roundish leaves close to the ground.

Image borrowed from here

They are easiest to identify when they flower in May though - the plants grow quite tall (about 50-100cm), the leaves are more pointed and the flowers are tiny and white with four petals.

Wild chervil or cow parsley. For years I didn't realise that cow parsley (pretty much my favourite plant) was also edible. The fresh growth at this time of year is the best - it can get bitter later in the year.

There are plants that look similar but are harmful, especially water dropworts -I know the plants I picked are cow parsley simply because I've watched them flowering for several years.

Also available in March are Ramsons/wild garlic, Nettles, Wood sorrel, and cleavers/goose grass.

In the US March is a good time to forage for Miner's lettuce or winter purslane.

What to cook with your foraged greens

Any of these plants can be eaten raw and are delicious additions to salads.

The leaves can be whizzed up with basil and/or rocket, pine nuts, garlic and good oil in pesto (Nigella roasts her garlic but I don't bother).

They may also give delicious fresh flavours to salsa verde which can be served with grilled or roasted meat or fish.

Stay tuned for more foraging later in the year.

It took me a year or two to be confident about the few plants I do forage. If you are doubtful about the plants you might find then maybe consult a book (e.g. Food for Free by Richard Mabey or River Cottage Hedgerow) or someone who forages regularly.

Edited to add: Diana at Pebbledash just told me about this website - www.eatweeds.co.uk - it looks fantastic for foraging recipes.

Hello teapot

2011-03-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon I realised I hadn't been out of the house in three days!. I think I was developing cabin fever. Mr P said I needed a break from tending the small and the sick and sent me out. It was sunny out there. Who knew? I saw trees and everything!

A spot of retail therapy was needed so I headed here. Three floors of bric a brac and old books - heaven.

Then I saw a teapot. It was turquoise and chipped and lovely. It came home with me.

It holds three mugs*-full and will be used every morning.

And the cabin fever? Cured.

*Tansy mug by Melissa at tiny happy.

Rollercoaster

2011-03-04T10:11:00.000-08:00

What a week. We have mostly been

marvelling at Nanna and her superhero tendencies
re enacting scenes from Anne of Green Gables (croup + lots of boiling kettles)
narrowly avoiding hospital thanks to kettles (relief!)
eating Nanna's shortbread to cheer us up
wearing pyjama bottoms.

Youngest was on the mend today so I made some jewels and photographed them.

This little silver windmill spins around.

These are ancient Egyptian faience beads.

The new pieces will go live on Monday over at Poppytalk Handmade although you can see them now if you click on the jewellery category in the LH sidebar. Links from my virtual 'stall' click through to my etsy shop.

Is it the weekend yet?

News

2011-03-02T03:57:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I applied to have an online 'table' at Poppytalk's curated Handmade market in March. Late on Monday night I heard I'd been accepted! I'm completely and utterly thrilled! I did a dance when I got the email. If you haven't visited it before, Poppytalk is a design blog that supports the hand-made movement and it's a really good read.

(Not a real link yet - the Mad March Market goes live on Monday 7th)

The deadline for upload of twelve pieces is Friday though. Twelve! By Friday! Eep! Youngest has a croupy cough and slept propped up on me most of the night so I've called super Nanna in her cape to help out a little while I attempt to finish off. Thankfully little one is playing and seems happy but I could do with a nap, if not some matchsticks to prop my peepers open or a Very Large Cappuccino.

On my List Of Things To Make in silver are a mad March hare and a tiny windmill.

Right, better try and get on with it...

Silver sempervivums

2011-02-18T05:46:00.000-08:00

Sempervivum means 'forever live' and that's pretty accurate - mine have been in their pot for eight years and have flowered, had umpteen babies, never even sniffed any fertiliser and yet still look lush and happy. It's this ability to survive that led them to be so steeped in European folklore:

They were associated with the Roman God Jupiter and were thought to guard against lightning, fire and storms, so they were grown on thatched cottage roofs as a means of protection.

They were used as husband selection devices: suitors were presented with a young plant and the gentleman with the healthiest house leek after a set period of time was thought to be eligible.

They were supposed to scare away witches and were a used to treat warts, corns and burns: quite handy on Halloween or as a living medicine cabinet.

I love their other name - hens and chicks.

I'm hoping that tiny silver versions will look good round the neck or in the ears. If they fend off lightning then so much the better. They're in my etsy shop.

A year of wardrobe thrift

2011-02-14T09:50:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I decided to follow Judith Levine's example, join in with Tif's challenge and try my hand at buying only thrifted or hand-made made clothes for a year.

A whole year. It was daunting. I had visions of carrying home bags and bags of musty-smelling purple cardigans from charity shops by mistake and looking as though I'd dressed from the rag bag every morning.

I decided to approach it strategically. I made lists of things I needed. When I ran the charity shop/carboot gauntlet I had a specific mission each time. I tried hard not to be flummoxed by all the cardigans.

I didn't need any very smart outfits this year - fancy frocks aren't usually called for when supervising playdoh sessions or making jewels. I managed to find basic casual items that fitted fairly well and make up several outfits that I feel pretty good in. I was pleasantly surprised.

All of the clothing items shown were thrifted from charity shops or ebay and cost £4 or under, except the dark blue White Stuff dress, which was £15. The boots were bought before the thrifting experiment - they're Fly London. New tights are classed as essentials so are permitted.

On a crack commando mission to find trousers one day my eye strayed round the local Cancer Research shop and I spotted this skirt - vintage-style floral linen, edged with lace, twirly dirndl, £4. It's a good skirt. I was thrilled.

So, so far so good, but I'm afraid I did not stick entirely to the virtuous thrifty path. Here's my confession:

I fell off the thrifty wagon three times and I bought:

Avoca cardigan coat: £60 (sale)
Fat Face dress £31 (sale)
A purple cardigan, TKMaxx. £19

Ha! I bought one after all (It is made of angora and has quite lovely leg o' mutton sleeves and MOP buttons so I think it'll be alright).

What about hand-made clothes? I had very good intentions but the reality of a five year old, a two year old, some jewellery customers, a conveyer belt of viruses and hardly any skill meant that I didn't hold out much hope. I went to Val's house last week armed with a copy of Weekend Sewing, a vintage brushed cotton candy stripe sheet and a total lack of confidence. I came home one pair of pyjama bottoms richer.

I MADE these! I'm gobsmacked. Val, you are a sewing sorceress of some kind. Massive, massive thanks for your tuition, patience and encouragement.

So, what did I learn?

Thrifted outfits do not have to look scruffy or odd
Friends could not spot that I was wearing second-hand
Charity shops are upping their game because of the financial climate: the quality of stock is improving all the time
A budget stretches a lot further with thrifted clothes (obviously)
It felt good to be greenish

I will certainly be buying more thrifted clothes in the next year although I think I'm sorted for purple cardigans at the moment.

My Creative Space

2011-02-10T02:35:00.000-08:00

The time for pinecones and acorns has long gone and I've been itching to make something new and Spring-like in silver. I really like the fractal-ish shape of pinecones, and house leeks succulents, or sempervivums are like a green, squat version of a pinecone. Sempervivums are great to grow in a pot - they seem to thrive on neglect and continue to have tiny rosette babies even though I never feed or water them.

I haven't fired my miniature silver clay versions yet (larger is 12mm in diameter), so they still look white but once they're fired and polished I'll team them with some peridot to make necklaces. That's once youngest has got over her 'flu-ish fever (seriously, how many viruses can two children possibly catch?) She's still wearing fairy wings though - a sign things aren't too bad.

There are masses more creative spaces over at kootoyoo

Four months of colour

2011-02-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

Floral mosaic:
1.Wild Acre 2.Lilyflossie/Dragonfly 3.Trash 4.Loujanu22

5.Domesticali 6.Buttons Ribbons and Other Things 7.Green Rabbit Designs 8.Su (Tiny Acorns)

9.Homemade Gorgeous 10.Magic Cochin/Purple Podded Peas 11.Cattapilla Dreaming 12.Kitty

13. Kitty 14.Scented Sweetpeas 15.Bunny Mummy 16.Forest Poppy

17.On a Grace Note 18.Domesticali 19.Dawn Marieg2 20.Wild Acre

21.Naturally Carol 22.Linaloo 23.Belper201 24.Little Green Shed

An apology for the linky lists disappearing today. All linky lists from the website I was using were withdrawn with just a day's notice so I've brought forward the mosaics...

It's hard to believe that the Splash of Colour project has ended.
Four months,
over 650 colour-packed images,
many many lovely blogposts,
mosaics of eye-popping goodness,
and one purpose:
to lift the spirits during the winter months.

Mosaic of makes:
1.ItchinStitchin' 2. Summerfete 3.Bunny Mummy 4.Rowan Benjamin
5.Buttons, Ribbons and Other Things 6.Hobsdyke 7.Naturally Carol 8.Yellowhouse72
9.77Belle/Miriam Weaver 10.Andamento 11.The List Writer 12.Like it or Lump it
13.ItchinStitchin' 14.Makeyourpresentsfelt/Niminy Fingers 15.Planet Penny 16 Heldasland
17. Domesticali 18. Lilyflossie/Dragonfly 19. Little Green Shed 20.Bristol Parenting Cafe

A huge thankyou to everyone for taking part and for every encouraging comment, image and blogpost. I had no clue the reaction would be so positive - and so big! I've been completely thrilled that an idea that I cooked up whilst feeling rather grumpy about Autumn has had such a fabulous response.

It's tricky to tell whether the project has worked. Several comments have suggested that it has, a few people have emailed me to let me know it has been good for the soul and the fact that lots of people have joined in suggests that it might have been fun. I also know that visiting the Flickr pool has perked me up on lots of occasions. What do you think though? I'd really love to hear if the project has helped to brighten the winter.

Shall we do it again next year?

I'll leave you with a final joyful blast of Spring 2011 from the Flickr pool:

1. Green Rabbit Designs 2. Cattapilla Dreaming 3. 77belle 4. Colette Moscrop
5.Helen Phillips 6. Bunny Mummy 7. Menopausal Musing 8. Wild Acre
9. Kitty 10. Su (Tiny Acorns) 11.The List Writer 12 MKirkman/Beatnik Love Affair

Sweet sweet galaxy

2011-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

This morning eldest P and I visited a truly magical exhibition, perfect for the Splash of Colour project. Made entirely of glitter, beads, sweets, sherbet and miniscule origami, Sweet sweet galaxy is a three dimensional installation by Tanya Schultz, Nicole Andrijevic and John Kassab that fairies would be quite at home in.

This was eldest's face when she first saw it:

We could have gazed at it all day. The detail is phenomenal and it's easy to imagine you're two inches tall and get utterly lost in the tiny landscape.

There are quirky surprises here and there - a little toadstool or a grotto with a tiny horse grazing inside, a hillside made of sherbet pips or a bridge made of sweets. Ethereal twinkly music adds to the atmosphere.

I doubt there could have been more colour in one room. It was wonderful. Here's a little film I made:

If you're near Bury St Edmunds do go and see it - here's the geography. Thankyou SO much for the tip Celia.

Don't forget to add your blog to the Splash of Colour February Linky List if you're joining in for this final week. Mosaics to come on Tuesday.

Splash of Colour: February

2011-02-01T01:50:00.000-08:00

This is the last Splash of Colour week of the project, designed to carry us through winter on a wave of colour. Not only is Spring is just around the corner but we've also built up a fantastic stash of almost 600 colour-packed Flickr images to call on in the coming weeks should there be a grey dreary day.

I think the winter's effects are really being felt at the moment so if you fancy injecting some cheer into your week then seek out some colour. It doesn't matter what the colour is - a spot of blue sky, a child's drawing, a solitary flower in the garden - it's all good.

There are spring flowers in the shops and bulbs are peeping up. This week should be good.

Don't forget to pop a link to your blog here and link back if you're joining in with the colour:

Huge apologies - all the Linky Lists have been removed by the organisation that provided them with only one day's notice. I am trying to reinstate the list today (Monday 7th)

This week...

2011-01-28T07:27:00.000-08:00

...I've been dreaming up ways to use these beautiful vintage keys,

eldest began to write independently and she announced that her toy monkey had become a girl,

a tiny rainbow appeared on the kitchen wall,

I began a new book,

I took the plunge and decided to start teaching workshops again.

I met with Gina and Celia for a treat: a sunlit walk at the Anglesey Abbey winter gardens.

All in all it was a good week.

Signs

2011-01-25T03:18:00.000-08:00

In the last two or three years I've associated winter with worry and with illness - difficult things have happened during the winter months, but I think my dread of it is lifting. This year I've managed to see winter as a natural part of the year, rather than a dismal aberration.

Despite me being able to be more accepting of winter I have still been slightly obsessive in hunting for signs of Spring. I've realised that if it were the 25th July, six months from now, and I were posting about the signs of winter it would seem odd, but finding these tiny flowers gave me a real thrill this morning. I was surprised that the snowdrops and aconites were flowering already.

The Splash of Colour Project has been a real boost too. Our final splash begins next Tuesday, 1st February but meanwhile I made a sidebar button out of the little aconite I found in my friend's garden - do go and take a look at the Flickr pool - it'll make you feel good.

Meanwhile thankyou so much for all your comments on my vintage seed label giveaway. The lucky winners are number 3:

Jacquie at Bunny Mummy, and number 50:

Steph at Curlew Country.

Congratulations - a parcel of cheery is coming your way!

Locket

2011-01-20T04:33:00.000-08:00

There's something about lockets that I find captivating. I think it's the fact that they're tiny, closeable compartments. At school I had a friend who kept minute shells from a memorable holiday in a locket around her neck.

The idea of a a tiny drawing or a fragment of precious fabric inside a locket appeals to the little girl in me I think - it's miniaturisation combined with keeping something safe or secret.

When I find a vintage locket the thought of its previous life adds another dimension. Researching makers' marks and dating the hallmark is exciting and it adds to the story. I was lucky enough to unearth this small heart-shaped locket recently.

I was thrilled when I found that it's by Georg Jensen, a renowned Danish jewellery company and mark is specific to pieces imported to the Bond Street Georg Jensen shop in the 1950s. Jensen himself created exquisite Art Nouveau designs in silver. He died in 1935 but his team of designers continued to innovate and the company is still known for jewellery design today.

Choosing the gems and making small silver pieces to go with each locket is my favourite part of making the lockets wearable again. The engraved designs on this oval one reminded me of French mirrors so I chose a feminine rose quartz, clear swarovski and tiny vintage pearl to match it and made a silver piece to echo the fern-like pattern.

All three lockets are in my etsy shop. For the next day or two there will be free postage to anywhere.

Don't forget my vintage seed label giveaway in the last post - it's open until this Sunday coming, 23rd January.

Vintage seed label giveaway

2011-01-16T10:02:00.000-08:00

I nipped to the garden centre the other day to buy some coal. I was in a hurry so didn't have time to browse but whilst at the checkout I glanced over my shoulder and saw that something had replaced the cut price Christmas decorations: racks and racks of seeds ready for Spring. It was lovely to see them but almost better than the prospect of Spring was the look of the seed racks. They're like enormous colourful mosaics. Sometimes I just stand and look at the seed section in garden centres. I suspect this makes me rather strange but I think they're beautiful.

A month or two ago I vaguely remembered some vintage French seed labels being used by Poshyarns to make a beautiful framed mosaic. I had a sudden attack of the wanties and bagged myself a couple of packets online, then rustled up a string of colourful little flags.

They're easy to make:

Spray mount two labels back to back to make each flag
Use little pegs to attach them to raffia
Hang up
Smile

These vintage seed labels are from a website called Burgundy Brocante and are featured in the Emporium pages of February's Country Living magazine. They date from the 1920s and the images are just lovely.

Jane from Burgundy Brocante has very kindly given me two extra sets of these beautiful little labels for two more projects. If you leave a comment on this post I'll pop you in the hat and draw the two winners in a week's time. I'll be including raffia and tiny pegs in the parcels in case you have an urge for bright little flags. Good luck!

Glass half-full

2011-01-14T02:44:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to have been tagged by Colette, Robin and Jenna for seven things about myself. Thankyou! I decided it would be a good chance to record seven things I am enjoying at the moment.

I used the catalogue card-maker here.

*This is a definite sign that Spring is approaching and you can hear the song here. I suddenly remembered this drawing from 1984 (I was twelve):

..and on the next page of the same sketchbook I found these:

If you'd like to take up the baton and have fun with your own catalogue card then I really recommend it.
Happy Friday.

Splash of Colour: January mosaics

2011-01-10T04:48:00.000-08:00

I do wonder whether looking at an image containing lots of vibrant colours together releases feel-good chemicals in the brain, especially if the colours transition through the rainbow.

So, here's an experiment. It's Monday. If you're feeling a bit dreary then take a look at this:

1. Planet Penny 2. Su (Tiny Acorns)/Living on the edge 3. Megan Ashman 4. Green Rabbit Designs
5. Domesticali 6. Kitty 7. Loujanu22 8. Sharne Gregory
9. Helen Phillips 10. Itchin' Stitchin'11. MKirkman 12. Little Cotton Rabbits
13. Milk Cloud 14. Megan Ashman15. Magic cochin/Purple Podded Peas 16 The List Writer
17. Like it or lump it 18. Coffee Lady 19. Thimbleanna 20. MKirkman

Any better? If so then the Splash of Colour project is working, which is very good news. Even if you were feeling pretty good but it gave you an extra boost then it's all worthwhile. Don't you love Like it or lump it's expression whilst looking at those lollipops?

When I built this mosaic from the Flickr pool and clicked 'Create' I gasped. I just chose them at random and stuck them all together but something is happening inside my noggin when I look at it. Something good.

Here are some more delicious eye treats from this month's contributions:

1. 77Belle/Miriam Weaver 2. Naturally Carol 3. MKirkman 4. Peeriemoot
5. Harmony and Rosie 6. Domesticali 7. Megan Ashman 8. Little Green Shed
9.Trashalou 10.MKirkman 11. Dragonfly 12. Linaloo
13. Summerfete14. Milk Cloud 15. Homemadegorgeous 16 Rowan Benjamin
17. Little Green Shed 18. Fan my Flame 19. Paula's Homemade Life 20. Troc, Broc and Recup

Thankyou so, so much to all the SOC contributors. The project has really worked for me this month. It's been a joy looking at the colour, it has helped me through a rather grim spate of illnesses going on here.

There are even more beautiful images from Menopausal Musing, Cattapilla Dreaming, Driftwood (I had problems with permissions - sorry Tess), Dolls from the loft, Niminy Fingers, Tales from a Cottage Garden, Sunbeamsintheafternoon, Swedish House, Nero's Post and Patch, Positively Mom, Wild Acre, Mrs Pao, Travelling Holy Cow, Hobsdyke and Buttonsribbonsandotherthings so do go and take a look. If I've missed anyone out apologies and I'll edit the post for you.

I'll leave you with this picture of poppies, drawn by eldest just yesterday:

...and an invitation to the fourth and final colour carnival next month, beginning Tuesday 1st February.

After that it's Spring and with a bit of luck the sunshine might be back.