Lizard and frogs

I saw this and thought it was so brill it deserved a mention on my blog. It is such a random picture has nothing to do with the lizard or frogs but it is just genius, don't you think.
A crochet car, I want one.

Anyway.........................We have just come back from a short break in the lizard, Cornwall.
With two young kids in tow, holidays are some what different.
You have to keep on the go to ware them out, so we got to explore this beautiful part of Cornwall inside and out. Came back exhausted, but sad to leave.
When we got back I was so excited to find out the tadpoles in our pond had become tiny frogs and i just had to take this photo.
They are tiny but perfect in every way, how cute.

A bit of art this month

I have been back on the drawing this month and have come up with a few new designs for my art cards for the shops.

Here is a sample of my favourites. They are a work in progress so need a bit of a tweak.

I'm desperate to get some new art on my living room walls as well but when this will happen know one knows.

My brushes are a bit crusty from lack of use and computers are so much quicker
How lazy do I sound.

making madness and market stalls

I have had a mental few weeks with just too much going on for

my poor brain to cope with.

My brain has been relatively dormant and just getting jealous of

all the hard work my poor hands have been doing.

I had two weeks notice to get a good market stall spread together and

a newly built conservatory to furnish. Not to mention that new dress for mummy bear

I promised my 4 year old son. I promised Fin I would suitably dress poor mummy bear a week ago and at last made good on my word.

Fin picked this velvet like fabric out and the flower button pin himself and took great pride in dressing her in the new glad rags.

I was meant to re-cover the whole corner sofa in our new conservatory but only managed two pillows, that was a bit of a cop out.

The cushions are nice though!

Maybe I will cover the sofa in cushions instead to re vamp the tired old thing.

My husband would kill me though he has the whole bloke phobia against cushions going on.
I will have to slowly increase there number in a stealth like way.

Maybe he wont notice?

Maybe mummy bear will fly ?

Seed Cathedrals and blossom cordials

First I want to share with you these fantastic photos of Tom Heatherwicks Seed cathedral.
This is Britain's entry to Shanghai's 2010 expo.
What an incredible building made out of 60,000 transparent rods each containing a different single seed currently being held in Kew gardens seed collection.
Kew have been frantically trying to preserve as many of earths plants as possible due to whole plant species disappearing every year .
some of these tiny seeds that make up this amazing hairy building could have been used to make medicine that keep your granny alive for an extra five years, or hold the key to curing cancers.


The inside is just as spectacular, with the light shimmering through the rods to illuminate the cathedral like calm inside.
Isn't it spectacular, lets hope we win this years expo and that we get to see it over here in Britain.
Back to The seeds of my labour, which are proving fruitful in the garden. My mint and herb beds are explode into life. I made these yummy lavender biscuits and have been making various blossom cordials for the store cupboard.
My favourite has been the dandelion cordial which was drunk so quickly i only had half a bottle left for the photo.

I think every one should have a go at this one. Bottle that blossom to remind you of the summer sun in the depths of winter ,here is the recipe:

1/4 carrier bag of dandelion heads

3 lemons (zest and juice)

500g sugar

1.5 litres boiling water

shake the blossoms as you pick them to free any bugs.

Pore into a large container ,add the boiling water and continue to boil on the hob for 15-20 mins.

Turn off the heat, cover with a clean tea towel and leave over night.

Strain the mixture to remove the flower heads, add the lemon juice, zest and sugar.

Boil for 1/2 hour then pore into sterilised bottles while still hot and screw tight.

These should last at least 6 months unopened and 1 month once opened if kept in the fridge after opening.

This recipe also works with other blossoms such as crab apple blossom, elderflower and meadow sweet.

Give it ago you will be hooked.

Fin made some glasses whilst I was busy picking crab apple blossom of my tree.

And I found this unfortunate fellow inside the poly carbon roof sheet which will be our new conservatory.

Cooked alive in the sun, poor thing.
Preserved in plastic a bit like the seed cathedral, now that's a thought?

Cotton fluff and courgettes

This month I have been so busy with various projects my house is utterly trashed and the sun hasn't helped. I can't seem to drag myself out of the garden to clean anything.

I utterly love my garden this time of year and with the plants finally spilling over the Mosaic wall and hugging the cool tiled surface I like to think it loves it back with green leafy hugs.
I have big bean plans this year and want to engulf my shed in squashes. The roof gets loads of lovely energy giving sun and would be the perfect place to lye a squash or two.

Once dragged back in my various projects have aided the house trashing activity.Cotton flying and fluff filled air these two lovelies emerged.

Along with This hall tidy and some paper that got into the mix. I also had several newly dressed light switches, crackers i know, but I quite like them.

I found these great crochet coasters in the depths of my fabric stash, I forgot about these. Must do something with them soon.

New dress for Merry and relax with a nice cup of tea, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Dam, now I really do need to clean. What other excuse can I think off.

The Alice Experience

Spring inspired, I have been busy drawing and printing some new cards for the shops.

I came up with a birthday card for my brother, and this dream big card for my sister who is trying to get her book published at the mo.

We also took advantage of the national trust free day this weekend

and went along to see Antony house in Cornwall.
They recently filmed the new Johnny Depp film, Alice in Wonderland here and i have been dying to go and have a sneak peek at the goings on there.

There was a mad hatters tea party going on, croquet on the lawns

and whimsical mushrooms, topiary tea cups and butterflies scattered around the beautiful grounds.

There was also some amazing gnarly ancient trees which have been there since 1721 when the house was first built.

Ill leave you with my crafty Exploits for the week.

Meet another whimsical character of mine not quite as cute as the white rabbit but possible looking as mad as the hatter.


I also made a baby sleeping bag for a customer order out of this great Ikea fabric.

Its so cute and cosy I would like an adult size one.
I am sad to say that i have nearly ran out of this fabric so alass it is not to be, boo hoo.

A bit of inspiration

I found myself going through some old sketch books of mine, I'm glad i did keep them

after all.

They nearly went out in the trash on a recent clear out.

You can't keep every idea you ever had, you would need a whole library.

I have two projects on my mind at the moment.

I want to make some adult size summer dresses for the shop
and i want to get back to this kids book idea i had last summer.

The clothes were the reason for going back through my old sketch books

and the kids story book is the reason for the next picture.

aren't the illustrations great.

They came out of the book "The Opposite" by Tom Macrae and Elena Odriozola.

If my books illustrations are half as good I will be happy.

The plan so far is to use finleys pictures as inspiration.

He keeps drawing these funny creatures which he calls Flum Flums.

and apparently they like socks.

Lets see were this crazy plan takes me.

And look were i found Merry whilst going through this inspirational burst.

I thought she had been quiet, i looked round and she had gone into the kitchen.

So after following her through discovered her at the sink ( which was full )

She had put loads of things in dish water.

Look at the guilt on her face!