Beauty and the Beast

Sorry, I'm being very absent at the moment!  Mostly because I've taken on an order for a new retail outlet - whooop! (I'll disclose more details when I've fulfilled my order with them!). I've been quite cautious about going in this direction because it can be very labour intensive and leaves little time for creative work (particularly when you're working on a part-time basis), but I think I've had quite good innings with experimental work recently! 

It's time to get down to some good, old-fashioned hard work now and earn some 'pennies', so my posts may be a little sporadic over the next few weeks.  On the other hand, it's the school Summer hols soon, so I may need to 'blog' just to keep my sanity, hehe!  I'm in competition with 'Little S's' photography, a  shot of a wild crocus on the lawn this morning - that's the 'Beauty' part of the post . . . 

. . . and the 'Beast' part is . . . 

. . . this ugly pile of palettes in my garden!  This seemingly is a 'Summer' project and my Other Half will transform this ugly heap into a new Den for 'Little S'.  Never mind, it means that I can sneak off to get some serious crafting done while the blokes in the house can get busy with hammers and saws - sorted!!! :)  I'll maybe try and document the progress of this wonderful new Den (should really be my wonderful new workshop - hmpppphhhhh!).

Have a lovely week - I'll be back when I can sneak a break from my 'tweedie-making'!

Alison x

Getting creative . . .

Since I'd cancelled my craft-fair at the weekend (just as well as youngest kiddo was full  of the cold) I had a little time on Thursday to play around with my tweedy-scrappy flowers.  Eventually I had made enough to make a little mosaic image with them . . .

I sort of like seeing them as a whole like this  - the top three flowers were made into pendants with some hessian string attached (the flowers all have felt backing so no itchy necks!) and the rest have brooch  pins added - I think they may be something I'll continue to make, either for sale in their own right, or for using as embellishments on zipper pouches, etc.

We've  had quite a relaxing weekend and seemed to be the only place in the country where the rain didn't make an appearance :) 

Here's some more of 'Little S's' shots (I think he may have been clocking my own love of wild flower photography closer than I thought!) . . . 

I like how the clouds are a little blurry in the background here, and the blade of grass caught in the foreground . . . 

Some lovely cuckoo flowers (Lady's Smocks) - my favourite!

Wild crocus - nice shot :)

A lovely view of the sea, just a few yards along from our house . . . .

and a cute shot of a fishing boat, in Broad Bay - just off the local pier. 

Perhaps this is something I could keep him amused with over the summer holidays - photographer in residence, hehe!  Knowing him, he'll probably try and charge me an extortionate fee for his services - typical 10 year old!!!

Not sure what's planned for this week, I'm going with the creative flow I think - the boys will be on school holidays in two weeks and my creative/productive timetable will  probably go right out the window - better make the most of the time I have left!

Back later in the week I hope - have a  good one :)

Alison x

my creative space . . . li'l tin soldiers

I really love using this Kokka Japanese designer fabric - I only have a little, itsy bit left, but I'm eeking it out as much as I can - I may have another look at it today to see how else I can use it.   

I made another zipper pouch this week, and couldn't resist adding a heart applique to the front to mirror the lining, and then a little tab seemed to be a good idea too!  To be honest his was the second 'make' of the day - I'd decided to make an iPad sleeve in this lovely pink plaid tweed, so once the pink thread was in the sewing machine, I though I might as well carry on with a zipper pouch . . . 

Well, I don't suppose you can blame  me for wanting to use this tweed more than once, hehe :)  I added a lovely fuschia felt lining to the iPad sleeve - I use Kunin recycled felt for this purpose, it has a lovely 'feel' to it . . .  

I seemed to have had a bit of a 'pink' week - that means I'd  better 'juggle' the colours around a bit today.  I'm thinking some more of these zippy purses maybe?  I actually managed to add these two items to my shop on the same day I made them - that doesn't happen very often!

Hope you're having a lovely creative day.  I have a snuffly 'Little S' with me today, and with one thing or another have had to cancel this weekend's craft fair - it was going to be a no-goer for various reasons - sometime you just have to admit defeat, but I'll use the time wisely and hopefully get lots of 'making' done instead :)

I'll finish up with one of my new photographer's (a.k.a. Little S's) shots from his photography class last week . . .

Sun, sea and blue skies - this is what we want!  Not quite so sunny today, but never mind - I'm off to get my 'tweeds' out and get some creative sewing on the go - might have a little breakfast first though!  

Some wonderful creative spaces over here - it's worth taking the time to browse the lovely 'makes' on the go :)

Bye for Now
Alison x

My New Guest Photographer!

Well, as I forecast, I've been a little scarce this week due to the absence of my camera and a nice visit from my sister.  Both things worked to my advantage though as 'Little S' took some cracking photographs during his school workshop - he's quite the 'arty' photographer, taking all sorts of interesting angled shots, close-ups, some really fab stuff!  

My Big Sis kindly modeled one of my Macbook laptop sleeves too, so that photo will get used once I get busy making some more this week - so it's all good! :)  Here's some of 'Little S's' shots (used with his kind permission of course!) . . . 

. . . a lovely view of the ferry coming in to Stornoway (I hope we'll get onto that ferry at some point over the Summer!)

. . . a fantastic shot of a rock pool, with the sun glistening on the water - just beautiful!

. . . and a sweet view of some boats  in Stornoway harbour, with the Castle Grounds in the background.

I'm so pleased that I lent him my camera, with a certain amount of apprehension, you understand - he's only 10!  There are lots of shots he's taken both in Stornoway (our local town) and some near our home too - so I'll probably pop some more on during the next week or so - heck, I should send him out on a regular basis!

I finally dipped into my beautiful new lilac tweed and a made a little zipper purse for a friend at work - I couldn't resist adding a little embroidery on the front to mirror the ultra cute matryoshka fabric lining - it turned out quite nice and was a perfect fit for her phone, which she was wanting it for (it was about the only thing I made this week, so I was glad to get something done!) . . . 

I could have left it a little plainer, but the embroidery threads came out, and before I knew it . . . 

I'm predicting I may be having another slightly out-of-routine week again, this week but I will try and pop in again soon.  Before I go here's a funny shot of a detail of a 'tweedie' card I made for Little S's pals birthday at the weekend - he  really didn't want to take this card as he wasn't too impressed with my efforts!  I made it in a bit of a hurry and tried to make a 'football inspired' card entirely out of tweed - it turned out rather rudimentary, but I thought it was quite funny in a very, em, rustic way, hehe!. . .   I'll just show the 'tweedie'  football boots at the base of the card and spare my blushes . . . 

I'm giving myself some Brownie points for even attempting this card half an hour before the party!  Well, I did try :) :)  I bet it's the only Harris Tweed card he got - rustic or not!  (I've decided not to show my attempts at embroidering the goal-net - Oh Dear!).

Hope you've had a good weekend - lovely and sunny here, if a little chilly, we're not complaining though - long may it last!  

Cheerio an Drasda!

Alison x

And the Winner is . . . . !

Firstly thanks to everyone for entering my Giveaway - I appreciate it! Last night I got 'Little S' to pull a name out of a hat and the winning entry was  . . . ta  dah . . . Claire of Sweet Birdy Love - which is quite funny, but not a fix in any way I can assure you!! (we happen to be good bloggie-friends) - that's the way the cookie crumbles as we say - I will be getting to work on your 'tweedie' hearts Claire, as soon as . . . .  :) :)  

Thanks again to everyone for entering - I will try and do another one in the near future, and many congrats to Claire - I think I have your address details but I will be in touch anyway!

It's back to business as usual in more ways than one, 'Teenage Son' is back to school now that study leave and exams are all over - I will miss having him around during the day, I'm convinced my creativity had gone up a notch while he was around - just hope it doesn't take a nose dive now : /  'Little S' has taken my camera to  school today as they are doing a photography workshop this week - please everyone pray for it's safe-keeping and return - I have everything crossed today, Oh crikes!!

Never mind, here's some photos I took earlier - I hope I'm not showing the last of them!  Some more scrappy brooches from last week . . . 

Some wild flowers and some cultivated bluebells (self-seeded on the roadside from my neighbours garden!) picked last week on a walk out to the moor-road.  I collected them in anticipation of receiving some Harris Tweed in the post which I'd ordered earlier in the week - the colours in the tweed are not far off from the colours of these flowers, it's simply deeeeeeeeeelicious!!!!  It actually arrived a  couple of days later and I'm still drooling over it, hehe :)

It's lilac, lavender, mauve - whichever colour you call it - and I'm really looking forward to using it - but a little scared of cutting into it.  I have a little custom order from a work friend, which I think will look fantastic in this tweed though - so I have a good excuse to dive in to it!

When I looked out the kitchen window this morning there were 2 bunny rabbits sitting in my neighbour's croft - if you look closely you  can see one under each fencepost (to the far left and the far right of the pic) - they were like little sentry rabbits, exactly the same size - too cute! . . . 

Here's a wobbly close up of one of them . . ,. 

Well, I'd better get back to work and domesticities this morning - I may  be a little scarce this week as my Big Sis is visiting, Little S has commandeered my camera! and I have a craft fair in a couple of weeks (I hope!).   

Bye for Now

Alison x

Giveaway Closed

My Giveaway is now closed - back on Monday to announce a winner - have  a lovely weekend! :)

Alison  x