Category Archives: Higgins

Autumn Walks and Weather

It’s the start of a new week, and a review of the past few day here in blog land. We’ve been very lucky weather-wise in Norfolk so far this Autumn. I’ve watched the forecasts and seen just how much wet, windy and stormy weather has been hurtling around the UK, and we’ve got off very lightly. There are positives to being on a bump sticking out into the North Sea, our own micro-climate! It’s a bit nippy though, the fire’s been lit the past few evenings, and I’ve been glad of my wristwarmers whilst sitting at the computer in my new little office! Despite the fact it’s warmer in the house, my faithful companions have chosen to be out in the studio with me, just keeping an eye…

…you just never know when I might suddenly decide to open a packet of pet treats and eat them all myself!

Last week’s needlefelt Robins have come home to roost on wreaths and hearts…

I haven’t put them on Etsy though as I’m having a slightly panicky moment about filling a craft stall at the end of the month. It’s a real juggling act knowing where to place things when the things you sell are all individually made. Can you see my lovely second hand find in the photo, by the way? A metal and wicker corner shelf unit, perfect for displaying little lovelies at craft fairs and in photos. Since my visit to the DIY Oxfam shop in Camden last month, and meeting the Buttonbag ladies I’ve revived my love of poking about in Charity shops. I’ve tried to limit my visits to just donating, and not accumulating more ‘stuff’ , but old habits are hard to break! (There’s a blog post in the offing about my other purchases, so watch this space!)

Higgins and I have been making the most of the dry weather while it lasts with some doggy walks. I really ought to be spending some of that time gardening, but Higgins can only think of one reason why I should be in the garden, and that involves a ball, not a trowel! Still, it gives me a chance to appreciate the Autumn colours and spectacular Norfolk skies…

and there are rose hips galore…

…and this weeks mystery object growing on the wild roses! I can’t for the life of me remember what this is…can you?

…and a bit of fun with a feather!

Well, ironically, since I started writing this post the heavens have opened! The rain is hammering on the skylight, I can’t hear Gardener’s Question Time, or myself think, so I’m going to call a halt and go inside to the fire and my crochet patchwork. I’ll leave you with a link to Handmade Monday over on Handmade Harbour and I’ll be back soon…x

Seagulls…Robins…and a Small Sea Dog

Hello! It’s that time of the week again….doesn’t it come round quickly? If you spotted my mid week post about the Planet Penny Cotton crochet inspirations, you’ll know this post represents a very quick gear change to get back to needlefelting again to build up my flock of Robins.

I think I’m going to have set days for each to keep on top of things, oh to be disciplined and organised. I’ve a feeling I may left it a little late in the day to change, but I do try!

And I have been sloping off when the sun shines to keep a small dog happy. We went to our favourite Norfolk beach during the week…

So peaceful, and completely deserted, Just me, Higgins and the seagulls. Not even a seal this time.

Higgins had a great time…

love the little pink tongue!

Did I mention he’s on a healthy eating and fitness regime? The last weigh in at the vet’s pronounced him at the top end of his ideal weight window, so charging madly around the beach is just what the ‘doctor’ ordered. (It’s not doing me any harm either!)

And later, back in the studio, the flock of Robins keeps growing…

Robins great and small…

I have a lovely selection of rings, wreaths and hearts for my robins to sit on so that’s tomorrows job!

I’m battling with the internet at the moment, it’s running like very cold treacle, so I shall quit while I’m ahead and leave you with a link to this week’s Handmade Monday over at Handmade Harbour. Have a lovely week, I will be back soon….x

Silent Sunday

September

We’ve just been for our first September walk…

It isn’t Autumn yet, but you can see it from here…

The first of the season…delicious!

Higgins…king of all he surveys!

And now we’re home, the sun is coming out!

See you soon…x

A Pinboard for a New Term…

I don’t think it matters how long ago it is since you left school, the approach of September always feels much more like the beginning of a new year than the actual one in dreary old January! And it’s so much more full of hope and possibility, we could have an ‘Indian Summer’ to make up for the lack of a British one, the evenings are still light, and it just feels like an optimistic new start. So this has been a good time to get my little office up and running efficiently with pinboards, graphs and flow charts (pause to snort with derisive laughter!) and slowly, slowly get on top of the teetering piles of paperwork. It also means I can reclaim the studio space from being a dumping ground/spare room (thank goodness it was only Tim and I trying to shoehorn ourselves into the sofa bed!) It now looks too tidy to use, even Higgins is surprised…

…and here it is, I had to record it because it won’t last!

and in this one you can see the office at the end, it’s not ready for close inspection yet!

You might have noticed the old pinboard in the first photo, so full of stuff which had been there forever.

Very uninspiring, and in need of a makeover to celebrate the new look. It was even more uninspiring once I’d taken off all the tatty bits and pieces…

You can see just how long some things had languished there by the interesting shadow effects!

So this is how the transformation took place, a quick and easy project as it only took a couple of hours. All it took was some grey emulsion paint, I used a sample pot, and some white, I had plenty around as we’d been painting the studio. Fabric and Bondaweb the size of the board, ribbon and glue and a few buttons.

After giving the board a wipe I painted the frame with the grey emulsion…

Once it dried I gave it a coat of white. It doesn’t have to cover completely, just make sure that the brush strokes follow the shape of the frame. Once it was dry I sanded it lightly to reveal some of the grey undercoat and polished it with beeswax.

I then cut a piece of Bondaweb to the size of the cork area of the pinboard and ironed to the back of my chosen fabric, in this case some jolly red and pink spotty Ikea fabric, peeled off the back of the Bondaweb and ironed the fabric directly on to the cork area…