Walking

Today I went walking. A slow walk as I noticed all that was around me. The sky was so blue and white fluffy clouds floated by while the hills were topped with a thick layer of clouds like whipped cream. I love this time of the year as the red berries hang from tiny threads and seem to dance along the length of the branches. I couldn't resist, I picked a few.

The hen come wandering over as she thinks I have come to feed her and looks up at me. Perhaps she remembers all that bread I threw over the wall the other day. I smile as I think of the ducks and hens running this way and that way racing to be first to gobble it down the moment each piece of bread hit the ground.

I kneel to capture the cow parsley seed heads against the sky. The sheep are all busy eating the grass and just ignore me.

 

 

I spy the farm in the distance which is along my way, I am on a mission to find more reds today.

There are lovely leaves.

 

I really like this one.

Rose hips catch my eye hanging over the stone wall from someone's garden.

Still more red berries but not the ones I am looking for.

After a long walk I arrive by the edge of the wood and this what I came for, it is the place where the lords and ladies are growing. Since I was last here they have all fallen so I feel it is okay to collect some. They are going into my book recording this stage of the life cycle. I have been tracking the story for months in my drawings and it is getting near to the end. The red berries are formed. Sadly the stalks are collapsing and the berries are falling off and this story is almost at its end.

I just finished this one so needed some new subjects.

I have so enjoyed this project, watching them form, change shapes and colours and I have learnt so much a more about this plant.

These two were recorded recently.

 

My tiger moth sits on the table, completed in between the red berry paintings. I captured my lovely Moth on a watercolour postcard size paper using my inks and a fine paintbrush and dip in pen.

 

 

As I have been Slowly working away, autumn has also been slowly creeping in. With such Cooler evenings we have been lighting a fire to take away the chill. The mornings bring the fog as it too creeps across the hills and over the estuary. One morning I was lucky enough to witness this scene.

 

Each sunset brings such beautiful colours to admire.

I am walking each day and I feel like I am surrounded by treasures, As every moment I see such beautiful things and realise how lucky I am to live here. I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the things that inspired me today. As I wander through this countryside I always feel so calm and contented.

 

Wishing you all some quiet peaceful time. See you soon Millyx

 

 

 

The first day of June

Today in the rain my first red poppy burst open. There are twelve big fat buds to go. It was my highlight of today to see that flower as the rain lashed against the windows.

 

I took this photograph at 9pm last night. It was very dramatic with huge clouds building up ready for the stormy weather we experienced today.

So the first day of June has certainly made its mark.

And what of May?

I loved the blues of May. I came home with a little blue egg, a single bluebell and a little stem of violets.

 

We had a lovely deep blue sky as the cherry blossom started to open.

 

 

My fritillary crop was amazing and I did manage to draw some flowers which I am very pleased with because they didn't seem to last long. I am glad I walked down the garden each day and enjoyed their elegant shapes and marvelled at the patterns. It seems a long way off until I see them again, one my favourite flowers.

 

I picked some flowers from the garden and placed them on a sheet of paper. I used to do this each year and put them into my flower press. I guess I draw them instead.

 

I have been seeing so many of these patterns on the leaves. It took a while to discover who was making them but I found out eventually with a bit of research. I love seeing them just as I see the silvery snail tracks on paths and along the stone walls.

 

And another thing keeping me busy is the Lords and Ladies. They seemed to be growing everywhere and guess what, the wet weather has totally devastated them. Hopefully I can still find some good specimens that grow on to form the berries. I have been drawing in sepia ink with a dip in pen and captured some lovely specimens.

Talking of sepia, it reminds me of my beautiful hare drawings on the linen fabric For Peony and Sage. I made my friend her birthday present in May using this fabric. She was delighted with not one

But two Hare cushions.

I am particularly pleased with how popular this fabric seems to be. I remember sitting drawing the two hares with a fine paint brush and little pot of sepia ink, this sitting hare and the leaping hare, producing my original drawings that became the beautiful fabric.

 

It has been used by many people and I have seen cushions, lampshades, chairs, pin boards, bags, book covers, blinds and whatever people have made, my hare drawings always look amazing.

 

At this time of bird nesting and eggs I was inspired to make myself a new tea towel. I carved the eggs and hand printed them onto a piece of fabric and sewed it into my tea towel. I love working like this, my original drawings and patterns carved into soft Lino and hand printed carefully by me, then sewing the teatowel and enjoying using it in my kitchen, an authentic piece of creativity. I recommend it to others, to know you made it. A simple and honest piece of work that you look at and be proud that You did it all.

My little sepia study of the violet. I have been working with a fine nib and sepia ink sat at the kitchen table and every so often taking a break and watching the birds in the garden. My usual drawing style, to capture every detail as I like to draw from something I found myself. I only ever draw by hand, every mark and every line slowly formed.

It means I can recognise my own work, just like my hand writing it holds my signature. I know my own drawings, even if it was some time ago. It is simple really, when you spend time really drawing something it stays in your memory and you know it is truly your hand that created it.

The steam train passed through our village on Saturday. I left what I was doing and wandered down to the station to watch it. The oak leaf is part of a collection from the shore, it is going to take a while to finish and I was ready for a break so the train was a good excuse to pack up for the day. It seems my love of oak leaves continues. I like drawing them and to know my work is unique to me, no one will draw the oak leaves the same as my hand does.

The train was lovely to watch as it made its way around the estuary and billowed smoke from the engine. A lovely moment as happy people looked out of the many carriages and waved as they passed by.

You have to catch the moments, they make your memories.

And so the first of June will be the day the poppy burst and cheered up this gloomy grey day. Everything in the garden is growing so fast with all this rain.

Hope you enjoyed seeing a little of what I have been doing during May.

Thank you for your comments which I enjoy reading. Hope the sun is going to shines for us all in June. Millyx

All photographs taken by me, Eileen Postlethwaite who owns Copyright of all art work and writing. All rights reserved.

Please stop using my work for links to advertise your business.

 

 

A Nice Surprise

 

 

I had a nice surprise earlier this month as I was the winner of this lovely pack of fabric as a giveaway on Janet's blog . It is sea themed and named "More Hearty Good Wishes" by Janet Clare who makes gorgeous quilts and has a book with this same Title. Since receiving my prize I have been busy designing and making this little quilt. After finished the hand quilting and sewing on the borders it was finished and here it is photographed in the garden today.

My other surprise was this butterfly in the house. I gently carried it outside to let it go, but not before I spent some time Capturing a drawing of her.

Back to the quilt. I set up in front of the upstairs window and that way I could enjoy the views of the shore. As I was cutting, sewing and ironing I would have a break and glance down to the shore. I would watch the tide creep in and out of the estuary as time passed by. As I sewed I would look at the seagulls on the fabric as I would also watch them soaring above in the sky outside. It was such lovely fabric to work with, with designs of Boats and fish and grasses, lighthouses and other related coastal subjects. I loved the colours too of this sea themed fabric range.

I spent lots of enjoyable days with lovely views from my window as I quietly and slowly stitched it. When the sun set I would put it away again.

 

 

 

And then after it was all complete I have my little seaside quilt to treasure.

And it will always remind me of those lovely sunsets and the rainbows that appear

 

Outside the bluebells are starting to open up and make a sea of blue in the garden.

Inside I have my finished sea quilt.

Guess what turned up in the room as I was sewing one day. It just came and sat on the tissue paper which was wrapped around the spare material. It opened its wings and flapped and fluttered on the window sill. I opened the window but it never left, it kept me company for several days. Perhaps a lucky charm.

And the rainbows made me smile, as they magically shone on my quilt ,.....moments later gone.

 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my sewing.

Thank you for visiting and for the comments which I always enjoy reading.

See you soon, Millyx

 

 

Easter

The sun is out and it is a beautiful day. I have been in the garden and the birds are singing so loud, they are enjoying the day too. I hope you all had a lovely Easter.

 

I had a little display on my kitchen table. A jug of primroses I picked from the garden and some daffodils and my favourite coloured hyacinths called Woodstock. I made a new bag , featuring my hare drawing and the blackberry coloured spots from the peony and sage fabric. I spent all day Saturday making it and it was finished with the perfect coloured button I bought once on holiday. I always find my way into haberdashery shops and I buy bits and pieces, then one day it is just what I need after storing it for several years.

EILEEN POSTLETHWAITE

copyright of all images, all rights reserved.2015

When I had finished it I was really happy, I brought it downstairs to show the 'interested' husband. He actually likes me sewing, I am quiet for hours and hiding away with my sewing machine. Easter was the perfect time to make a hare bag.

I have lots of flowers out in tubs and around the garden. The birthday present of 60 bulbs is looking and smelling wonderful. My sister planted them last November and on Sunday I picked her a bunch of the sweet smelling daffodils and told her how lovely they are. I have enjoyed watching them grow, the are just outside my kitchen window. Soon the pot of tulips will be out, another 60 bulbs all blooming, what a lovely present they have been. She also gave me the maroon hyacinths wrapped in brown paper.

Now for a tour of some of the flowers in my garden, all taken this afternoon.

Cowslips and the first camellia. Then a few snapshots of my snakehead fritillaries. They are growing at different stages, see the many colours, shades, Chequered patterns and some of them have appeared white ones.

 

 

 

 

I am going to try and capture some in my drawings as they are so beautiful.

A secret little glimpse of a little chequered pattern of my own. This is the little mouse quilt I made with the elderberry dyed fabrics.

Milly mouse under her elderberry quilt, homemade from elderberries picked along the hedgerows in our village, dyed fabric and hand stitched by me.

The sunshine at this very moment as I say good bye. It is just catching the garden, the midges are waking up and we have seen a butterfly and several big bees collecting pollen from the fritillary. It has been such a warm day for getting out into the garden. Thank you for your comments, for the people who tell me I inspire them to draw and others who tell me it is a nice calm place to visit. A little taste of spring for all of you still waiting

See you soon......Millyx