Lost and Found

I have never lost my interest or appreciation of nature. Every single day I wake up and pull back the curtains and see where I live I am so full of wonder and happy and grateful that I live in this beautiful place.

I picked the violets and primroses from my garden the day I left to travel to see my friends and knew they would be gone by the time I returned home. The idea came into my head to press them and then they would be here. As a child I loved to press flowers but I don't do it very often theses days. I opened a book, carefully arranged them on the page just as I would have done all those years ago.

 

I found them as I opened that book and I knew it gave me so much joy. Yes joy, I knew it would. So I decided to promise myself, to do all the things that give me joy.

 

I have been away to both London and Edinburgh. In London I visited art galleries, saw the live butterflies at the Natural History museumn and saw many beautiful shops such as Liberty. If I was to pick my favourite thing it would be that day in the haberdashery department full of fabrics, like swimming through a sea of fabrics and I found myself inspired, my head was filled with lots of ideas. I promised myself I would come home and finish off that quilt that has been going on for many years, made from Liberty fabrics. I did make something for a present, for a special birthday and the reason the four of us made this trip. And yes I used some Liberty fabric. And sent it with a handmade tag of course.

In Edinburgh I had a special person to spend time with. My beautiful daughter Jane who made me feel very proud of her achievements, as she had her own show at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Her solo show "Made in Cumbria", which she wrote and performed each day and had a five star review.

 

As for me I walked miles, got lost wandering and discovering secret places, art galleries, craft shops and street entertainers around the city. I laughed at shows, smiled along with everyone else at this lovely exciting and fun filled place with such a friendly atmosphere. I sat in the park, browsed the craft stalls and watched more entertainers. The sun shone all week and we ate outside the healthy cafe each day watching all The people in this busy city. It rained and it poured on my last day but it didn't dampened my enthusiasm and I came home feeling very inspired.

 

One of my souvenirs from Edinburgh, a lovely Scottish lambs wool rug. Already needed it on these chilly nights. I bought a necklace made from a piece of blue and white China, I chose a piece with a ship on it.

Back home I am walking along the beach at the next village to me. Last week with a China blue sky above me and I am on a mission to find some.

It felt so strange to have this place to ourselves, all this space after being in two busy cities, both full of people. So quiet, so calm and so, so beautiful. After all the excitement of visiting other places it feels good to return to my own world and gentle pace of life.

I wasn't disappointed, little pieces of China with worn smooth edges from years of being washed and worn by the sea as the tides come in and out day after day, year after year. All those little treasures waiting for me to find them, as every time you turn that white shape over and discover the blue and white pattern, it makes me smile. We sat down on the sand and ate our sandwiches and fruit, with sand of course!

Looking out to sea as the tide is coming in, just as we are leaving.

 

The view towards home. It was a lovely walk and I couldn't wait to get home and empty my bag.

 

Here I am sorting it out into sea glass and China and my beautiful feathers I collected along the way. Lots to choose from and add to a drawing.

 

Lost and found, where they lost, well I definitely found them.

 

 

And my mind was telling me I must go and collect some blackberries along the hedgerows and so the very next day I was up and off first thing and this is what I found. Four pounds of blackberries, found, picked , washed and made into jam when I got home.

 

Four jars of blackberry jam, well three and a bit now. Now to me, that is such a nice feeling nice to know you made it, it tastes so good and as it came from the hedgerows in my own village. JOY indeed, on toast, in scones and I even poured some on ice cream.

After finding some fallen Lords and Ladies, drawing subjects, I added them to my book.

 

 

I have been working on a little creative project. After a night out at the pictures, watching the wonderful BFG film. I was so inspired, it was a magical film. I was entranced with the dream jars as I had seen some of the large jars in London. But, I couldn't get the image of one of the huge Giants holding the tiny patchwork quilt in his massive hands out of my mind. I had the idea to make one, a tiny quilt, so I did.

 

 

I hand printed it with a tiny triangle and then hand quilted it. I finished the border a few days ago. Yes it made my happy to make this pretty little quilt.

I love making things, completely hand made, hand printed, hand stitched and using an old white sheet, recycled. It feels like me. I loved the finished quilt.

 

 

 

I started a new little project and made a new needle case and pincushion with some left over pieces from my new cushions. It is lovely to see my drawings on things I have made and I thought it would make a nice matching pair with my egg and feather I did for peony and sage.

My new little Feather pincushion and egg needle case, trimmed with some of my blackberries and bees, ready for the next sewing project.

So what shall I make next? Something that brings me Joy!

Maybe a slice of toast and blackberry

And go and sit on my front step and enjoy the view.




 

See you soon, hope everyone has enjoyed their summer and looking forward to Autumn. Millyx

The view as Summer ...........

...............................................now turns to Autumn.