wonderful wales

We have just come back from wales and soaked ourselves in the culture and art of all things Celtic. visited an old roman baths and amphitheatre and stopped in Cardiff museum to look at the dinosaurs.

The museum is the one things i miss the most about living in Cardiff. it is massive, amazing and inspirational and all for free. I pretty much lived in there whilst on my degree.

After refreshing my senses in wales It was back to Cornwall.
I did start on some stock and made a few kids clothes then went into

my bleak winter beaten garden to look for signs of green life.

Not much green but plenty of brown sludge and dead stuff, what a state.

I pulled up the last of the vegetables and thought about this years crop, fancy doing some interesting veg this time like pink beans and purple carrots.

There is nothing like a veg patch stew to warm the cockles.

Starting the new year

Its taken me ages to get to grips with the start of the year.
I'm usually bursting with ideas and crazy unrealistic ambitions by now.

But i still feel the urge to hibernate.

I think all the snow has thrown me off course.

Still not de-frosted.

I have been drawing a little, as my art cards are doing well in the

shops. Unfortunately no great bursts of inspiration as yet.

cupcakes and cornish coast

My friends little girl had a 4th birthday party the other week

and as she loves dressing up and having toy tea parties. I thought

I would make her some little cakes and a cute apron.

I had some cath kidston remnets left from some cusions ,made for one

of the shops (Adorn in saltash) .

so I used this to trim the apron and painted up a wooden box for a tray.

I was quite pleased with the end result, might make some for my shop?

A break in the weather also allowed us to have a day at the beach, my favourite place

to be in cornwall in winter.

The beaches are dead and the sea can be dramatic and beautiful this time of year.

I love going to watch the hugh swells that come with the season.

Although the sea was relativly calm the treturus walk down to boiler bay was

a tad scary.

The cliff is a sheer drop at some points and the scrabble down was very dodge but

fun.

I have also been clearing out this month ready for christmas.

I seem to hoard so much stuff it just bursts out the boxes and

litterally has broken my shelf through sheer weight.

I decided enough was enough and started putting together these "create something" packs.

I have already sold three on my etsy shop so think it was a good idea however you can guess

what the money is going on, catch 22 i think?

cristmas card designs

After being asked by one of the shops I stock to bring in

some christmas cards instead of my usual art cards I wasn't

looking forward to the task.

Problem with christmas is that if you don't sell them quick you are stuck with the stock for the rest of the year.

I decided not to go to conventional and opted

for something a bit sketch like. This is what I have

come up with so far

What are your thoughts? constructive critics

welcome.

from sun to soaking

Dark evenings are good for crafting, I love getting coesy with a

hot chocolate, kids peacefully dreaming as dream of my next project.

Im thankful for this inspirational / arty part of my brain when the winter approaches

refreshed from the sun of our holiday I get back to work at last.

With thoughts of our summer holiday behind us
and winter just round the corner moods have been low

in our house.

Can't seem to escape the rain and although

the garden needed it i think even the plants have had all

the water they can take.

We left mejorca in 26 degree heat to return to drizzle in cornwall

at 10 degrees, feels very chilly.

With the start of school just round the corner thoughts of preping
my kids come to surface.

How my mum and dad managed to get us all to read and write before we started

our schooling is beyond me but with less than a year to go

I thought I better start.

I went through all the old childrens books we have round the house and made a set of alphbet cards .

I plan to tackle a letter a day till fin grasps the basics.

With two weeks off we have also been on lots of small trips out.

We took a short trip to windsor and saw the change or guard outside the castle and checked out lego land.

Can I just say how fantastic lego is, I love the stuff.

Camping Cooking Crafting

Camping is great fun, I am so lucky to have such great friends.
We went to Bude for the weekend on a last min holiday and it

was actually quite relaxing and a laugh.

Merryns first time in a tent and she was brill, a natural camper I hope.

New Shoes! here are the shoes I have been stitching whilst on

the beach camping . I have put them in my shop to

see how they do, may do more not sure.

I also made merryn another dress with an old shirt

my friend gave me. to my great de-stress the shirt was too tight

for me but made a great sun dress for merry.