Still here...

Blimey... how many months have I been away? Too many and I do apologize ..the mayhem of working two jobs and commuting to Torquay every weekend has taken its toil on me but I do want to keep blogging so here goes...

In between all the madness, I have been trying to do a bit of paper cutting. So far I have made some new cards, with a new doily design in mind... They can be found here.

I'm also trying to attempt to make a paper garland, though I'm still trying to work it out... Not quite there yet...

I'm really going to try to make creative time my priority as it has really taken a back seat lately which makes me feel frustrated and sad. I'm going to make a real effort to get on with it even when I feel very tired and push myself to get on with it. I have though been reading a lot on the train on my commute every weekend, I've just read 'Great Expectations', such a wonderful story and am now on 'Wuthering Heights'. Can you tell I'm a bit obsessed with all things Victorian?!

It was my birthday a while ago, it was a quiet affair and my mum got me this beautiful little Victorian pencil box, I absolutely love it so much. I love the mother of pearl inlaid onto the lacquered wood, I have a thing about mother of pearl generally... I will treasure it and it now holds some of my pens and pencils...

I was also very naughty and bought myself a bday present! This rather lovely Victorian stamp case necklace from a shop on Etsy called twogirlsgems...it is full of vintage jewellery and is quite addictive viewing, you have been warned!

It came with some lovely floral U.S stamps and I'd like to get some vintage stamps to add in there too :)

Life has been a bit stressful and all over the place the last few months but I don't want to whinge too much on here so will save that for another time! Sorry this post is a bit all over the place, I've also just realised I am nattering on about Victorian things rather a lot here. I hope your week has been going well at the mo, I've been enjoying all the things you've been getting up to on your blogs, it is always addictive reading! :) xxx

A work in progress...

...this is a drawing I'm currently working on in pencil. I'm sure you may be thinking 'but what on earth is it'?... Well I'm going to leave it open to interpretation...

... I'm doing this drawing in an attempt to sort of learn to draw again. For a long time after I left university (about 4 years) I was not able to draw as I took a shop job and work took over...but very recently I have started to feel more motivated to draw again. My normal tool for drawing was always with a quill pen for ink but lately I have been learning to draw in graphite again and it has been very liberating...I tend to draw in a very controlled way, so it may not come across as very 'free' but at least I am on the road to making art again...hopefully. I hope your week is going well at the mo :) xxx

...and finished:

Blurrgh...

This week has been a bit blurrgh...not sure how you spell it, but I defiantly have not been feeling myself at the mo. A combination of work, illness, no Henry around and generally feeling down in the dumps...has led to no current paper cutting or drawings going on...when I tend to get like this I have to remember all the things I should and do feel grateful for...but you know when you have that feeling of, 'I don't want to face the world outside today', well that's how its been around here...So I have decided to self medicate (meaning lots of chocolate) daily....with quite a lot of reading...onto Persuasion at the mo, then I promise I shall stop reading only Jane Austen novels!

I have spent a lot of time cleaning, ironing and pottering about...I have been doing a little sewing and it reminded me of something... also Julie's lovely post did too (I have been enjoying her posts about handmade ingredients for solid moisturizer, her lovely necklace and her beautiful handmade quilts)...of a sewing necklace I commissioned from the lovely Emma of silverpebble a little while back...it always inspires me and I treasure it. Emma makes wonderfully charming silver jewellery inspired by her garden and vintage finds... I love her shop...

I'm afraid these pictures are a bit blurred, I tried my best best couldn't do the necklace justice but here is a close-up anyhow..

I've also been enjoying reading Beth's lovely gardening blog Rock Cottage Year. I love reading about her beautiful garden and general homely goings on, it's a lovely read...also am still admiring Mr Wolf (Henry got him for me for Christmas and I love him!) he has been keeping me company and is from Beth's lovely shop The linen Cat. There are many lovely woodland characters that I am a little obsessed with here.

I also recently got this vintage aluminium cake mould from this lovely shop, wondersfromnormandy not for baking but for holding lots of cotton thread :)

But now I have decided to do a mini sort of ban on any spending to make my bank balance healthier (hopefully)...also am about to lend Henry my camera so am not sure how I will be able to take any photos for this little blog for a few months, as he needs to borrow it for his work placement on the course so my camera will be in Exeter and I shall have to find a way around it for a few while... more scanned images I suppose! I hope you are getting on ok this week, I am still inspired by all your blogs out there and those very kind folk who have been leaving comments on here, I am indebted to you, you are very kind. I always really appreciate your words and you have kept this blog going so thank you so very much, you always inspire me,xxx

Quiet moments...

This past week I have been trying to motivate myself to get on with a few things, mainly preparing a few birthday presents but have also found some quiet moments to do a little drawing again... Recently I have drawn another fir cone and acorn combo...I did two of these recently, I didn't like the first attempt and so made another as a birthday present for Henry...but I have also been seeking out new objects to draw...

I have recently made this small study of these two pebbles that I kept from a rare beach walk, it was a lovely day and I kept them to remember...they are harder to draw then appears as they have so many tones and textures going on...

Also I have just made this little drawing of a shell and the pebble again. I think though soon I'd like to try to make a larger drawing (this for me is hard as I tend to usually work small scale). I just need more time to make something...

I don't know if I'm the only one out there feeling this way at the mo, but I'm feeling distinctly blue lately, must be the January weather and many other things I suppose... Right there's only one thing for it...have some dark chocolate with a cup of black weak tea and watch this film and feel better about life :) I hope your week is going ok at the mo, xxx

Green...

Lately everything I have been admiring has been of a green hue. I really love the colour green, it is fresh and i think the perfect shade to start off the new year :) These are some of the bits and pieces which I think must be of influence at the mo...

Some lovely green vintage buttons from a wonderful sewing shop called Arrietty in Exeter...

I am hooked on Jane Austen novels at the mo, just finished reading Persuasion and now onto Emma...I love the book covers...

Recently, I've been making this green paper cutting from a vintage doily pattern...it is now available in the shop here.

I'm trying to make some new paper cuttings at the mo to fill up my little shop and want to make more cards, especially some valentines cards :) I'm feeling very inspired by Rob Ryan's wonderful new valentine print...I hope your getting on ok this week, it has been very quiet around here but it seems a good time for quiet crafting...sorry this post is so small, I'm feeling a bit ill at the mo but I will be back with more paper cutting soon :)...have a wonderful week ahead,xxx

Little drawings...

Recently I have been drawing more, as a means of practice and have really been enjoying it. I have been drawing this little fir cone over and over, it fascinates me, there's something really interesting about the complex form of it and the way so many little divided parts make a whole. It has wonderful texture and I have been trying to capture its tonal qualities with a pencil...

Lately it has been the quiet little things that have been inspiring some drawings here and it feels so good to be drawing again even if it is only in a small way. We are in mid winter now and there is a lot of inspiration around...

There is something so pure about drawing, it is hard to explain but it really is the time I feel most free and happy. Concentrating on putting down marks on a piece of paper, it's wonderful. I have always drawn things from being a very little girl and have continued through out my life.  Drawing for me is easier then reading. It comes very naturally and I remember drawing long before I learnt to read...I have been thinking about maybe making another shop, based solely on selling small drawings I make. I don't know if opening a second shop is a good idea? But I'd like a way of having an outlet for my drawing...

For this new year, my one and only resolution is to make more time for drawing...Maybe it is just the time of year but I am aware of a kind of quiet reflection going on lately here but it is nice to pause and think...I love to draw things from nature, things I like to collect: buttons, acorns, leaves, anything with detail and a previous or interesting existence. Do you like to draw to? :) xxx

That festive feeling...

I have been neglecting my poor blog of late, life has taken over with the build up to Christmas, what with the rota at work getting an awful lot busier (I am working during Christmas again this year) and I do admit, I'm struggling to keep up with it all. Late shift work coupled with feverish Christmas shopping is not a good combination!

Lately not much paper cutting has been happening, only these two paper cut cards and one papercutting...which I have placed in my little shop here. I have got to get on top of paper cutting for next year and try to be a bit more organised...

 

In between all the mad rushing around, I have really been enjoying all your blogs out there and they have really lifted my mood and are making me feel very festive... I have been admiring Beth's beautiful Mr.Wolf at The Linen Cat, he has been put on my Xmas wish list! I love his Red little suit and berry broach! And as ever, I have loved reading Beth's blog lately with all that festive snow going on! I love all the colours Beth uses in her designs...here is a pic of one of Beth's lovely little bird decoartions on the tree this year...

I have also recently bought these rather wonderful Christmas flower charm decorations made by the talented Emma Lamb! I just love these beautiful charms and wish I could buy more...I also love her Festive garland! I have long been an admirer of Emma's blog and crochet, I am also a big fan of Emma's lovely pot holders :)





Here are Emma's beautful crochet decorations on the tree...

I've been frantically buying Christmas presents for all my family...my family is rather big so it will go on forever...even though I started last January, it is true! I have though been indulging in festive wrapping ideas and have settled for a red/ white colour scheme this year, complete with some festive snowflake motifs going on too...I love Christmas wrapping!

 Finally we have a tree now and it is looking pretty...

If I don't get to blog here before Christmas, I just want to wish everyone a lovely Christmas and wonderful New Year! :) xxx