Thanks Maria!!!

Here are the lovely things that Maria from Berlin sent me. The ball was done up so beautifully and I'm so excited about the wool felt!!!! It is funny how I'd been thinking about making one of the mushroom pin cushions and now I don't have to! She also sent me some lovely stitch markers with dyes wool and embrodery floss. They are very cool!

My next Swap-bot swap is for beads, thought I would try something different. Melissa, my friend from the tote-bag exchange and I are talking about doing a magic ball swap for Christmas. It is a wonderful way to send little sweet things that someone can use, without spending a fortune!!!

Speaking of Melissa...she said she has sent off my tote!!!! So I'm waiting with baited breath!

Niki Guy - Jewelry from Shropshire

Aren't these necklaces great??? These are by Niki Guy a jeweler in Shropshire. I've been wearing the pastel colored shells since I picked them up at the Shrewsbury flower show in August. I get more complents on it! I could have sworn I have been on her website, but I can't find it now. I love the way that she doesn't use metal clasps. Instead she uses a very nice circle




of crochet and a button. She is a wonderful person, I had a long talk with her while at the show. She also makes jewelry with tumbled recycled glass. They are so lovely!

















Her contact information can be found here though. I know that she makes to order.











I've been alone this weekend. Hubby has gone up to Shropshire to visit his sister. I couldn't get off work, so I stayed at home. I've been watching "Sex in the City" and knitting away. I would have liked to have done more....but don't we all wish we could. I'm almost done with my bag for the tote exchange, but I won't post it until I know that Holly has it...just in case she peeks on to my webpage.

Oh I couldn't resist buying this yesterday. I just have to figure out if my bro-in-laws will let me give them to my nephews!!! I can't keep making things for my niece!!!! Her stuff at Wee Wonderfuls are so great. I wish I was that talented! And she lets you down load these so you don't even have to wait for the mail! How cool is that!!!

Oh and MOM....leave me a comment...or else!!!!

Not Forgotten!

As many of my fellow Americans and others around the world,

I don't need to watch the film...

I don't need to watch endless repetitions of what happened.

I may not have been in NY or Washington...

but I was there...

and I won't forget those that were lost

or their families.

Nothing is ever gained by hatred.....

let us love one another.

Romsey Show

So here are some very very very funky chickens!!! Now do you see why I think they are so cool?????

The show was great. We all had a great time...AND our group won first prize for our booth. Shoshanna did such a fabulous job getting it all together. She recognized me as I walked in and made me feel at home at once, introducing me to everyone and letting me display my pitiful attempts at spinning. One of the ladies taught me a different way of handling my Blue Face Leiscester wool when I spin that I liked...everyone has to find out their own way of doing it...and I had a great time sitting next to Sue nattering away about doughnuts (which obviously the show knew I was coming so they marked them on the map of the grounds!) and playing with the bits she kept breaking off with her attempts at spinning. Nothing ever goes to waste! She went to town beautifully when no one was around...but as soon as someone wanted to see what she was doing....bang....it would break. Typical isn't it!!! She was such a sport and at the end of the day we both said it was too bad we live so far away from each other!

People were really interested in my needle felting. One lady could hardly keep her hands off of it and I think if I had, had an extra kit she would have bought it. I think I might do that next time actually, sell it for cost, but it is a lot of fun and people are interested in it. The kids were great. The ladies had a great interactive table, where the kids (and adults) could make braid and felt beads. Both are sooooo easy to explain, and very timely. We had a group of teenage girls that sat out in front of the tent and busily worked away. They were great advertising for us! The little boys and girls were the most fun. We had a lad of about 10 or 11 that was soooo enthusiastic. He tried EVERYTHING, except my needlefelting. But he did the braiding, made lots of felt balls and had a go at the loom that was there. He must have made 6 in of fabric on the loom. He was so great and everyone was so kind to him. I hope that he keeps up his interest and does succumb to the football hooligan thinking that "boys can't craft". I wanted to personally pick him up for the taster day we are having next week so that I could be sure that he got the chance to come!


Well anyway, here is a pic of our booth and me having a go at needle felting. I made the yellow and blue "flower" on my shirt. Actually, people were really interested in it and I think I'll put a back on it and wear it with my blue jean jacket. The blue in the middle are the little bits and piece off of Sue's spinning and the blue on the picture I'm working on is the same. The PVC pipe you see sticking up above the date is Sue's wheel. And the head you see on the other side is Helen who spins beautifully and was kind enough to bring me home!


I think the thing I found out the most, other then the fact that everyone there was very inspiring...I love to teach. I loved showing the kids and adults how to make the braids and the felt balls. I'm going to talk to the local craft shop up by the university and offer to show the kids how to do those very simple projects and see what happens. The older ladies were especially interested in the braids, because it was something they could do even if they had arthritis. Contrary to what people think...you can do a lot with braid!

Craftsainty 20min challenge....

Right, for those who are wondering...what the heck those pictures are! They are my horrible attempt at drawing. I've been a faithful listener of Jennifer's Craftsainty podcast. She has the most clever, wonderful artists on her cast. The last lady, Claudine Hellmuth, is a collage artists who takes pictures and mixes them with other paper stuff to make wimsical creations. Even though I'm not into paper crafts she inspired me to try doing some pictures on the laser print fabric and try embroidery on them. We shall see....

Anyway, Jennifer sometimes has contests and the publisher of Cladine's books gave her a few to give away. I was really struck with the idea of making something in 20 min. It would be a bit difficult to do the embroidery in that time, but when I wrote Jennifer she said...just send in your paper draft. So that is what I did. I sat down outside in lovely Winchester, waiting for a friend for an even lovelier supper, and drew the above pictures. I'm toying with felt applique and embroidery probably. I'm not sure if the childs face in the second pictures looks too mean, or if he portrays the "cheeky" or ornery way I want him to be. He isn't be malicious...just getting his own back for having his cheeks pinched. I must state, though I said it is a contest, they aren't going to be judged. She is going to take the names of those who send something in and have her daughter pick out four names for the four books. I'll keep you posted...and if you like podcasts??? Listen to Craftsanity. It really is inspiring!

Would love to post....

But as usual, having trouble getting pictures to upload! Anyone out there really like their blogging software so much they will recommend it????