Life in the fast lane . . . . but not really!

Life in the fast lane . . . . but not really, just extra working hours at the office job and learning the intricacies of hen husbandry.  I've absolutely loved learning how to care for our new little flock of three hens - they are brilliant creatures, thoroughly absorbing and waste far too much of my time, hehe!

This weekend I was browsing through some lovely books I borrowed from the local library and took some inspiration or rather a direct pattern to make a little hen embroidery (you can tell I'm smitten LOL) . . . 

I used a lovely idea from one of the books below . . .

They're all great books - now I want to buy them all - ooops!  The hen embroidery came from the middle book Decorative Embroidery by Mary Norden which I've just flipped through briefly, it was the hen template that caught my eye in the library though!

I didn't actually copy or trace the template, just winged it freehand - hence some of the features area bit out of proportion but it's just for my own pleasure so no matter :)  I used stem stitch for the outline, a bit of back-stitch here and there and simple satin stitch for the beak and wattles (as suggested in the book instructions).  Not sure what I'll use it for yet - maybe the cover of a hen journal??  That would be fun to do.

Here are two of our lovely girls at the back patio door . . .

It was a big decision to take on actual livestock and a little scary for me - but I'm really pleased I did, even if I do have to get up at 7 am every morning to let them out of their coop - they're deifinitely worth it :)

Last weekend I embroidered a little zipper purse after going out to take some photos of wild flowers around my home.  I really love cuckoo flowers (or lady's smock) . . .

I used some crewel wool to do some free hand embroidery . . . .

Here's the finished purse . . .

This was made to go into my Etsy shop :)

Well, it's been a busy time but now work hours are back to normal and hen care is becoming second nature so I hope to be here more often.

If you're thinking of keeping hens, here's a little incentive but there's so much more to them than eggs - they're lovely pets and very entertaining :)

Back soon now things are a little more 'normal' if there is such a thing!

Alison x