All about green

I am enjoying the Whimsies, Words and Watercolours class run by Joanne Sharpe I am doing this year.  Each month, there are pages to complete and one of these is a focus on colour. For March, it is all about green.  We chose nine watercolours, three each of blue, yellow and green and then made a grid mixing them together.  Above is my mixing plate when I had finished - it is almost as pretty as the page in my journal.

Here's the finished mixing grid.  It was a lovely way to spend some time on a rainy Sunday afternoon.  There are a lot of different colours you can make with just nine to start with.  Colour grids or swatches  like these make me happy!

Jewellery and gardening

 My best friend who lives in Canada had a big birthday at the end of July and I knew that I wanted to make her a proper, hand knotted pearl necklace with sterling silver findings.  I gathered everything I needed; pearls, silk thread, sterling silver toggle clasp, sterling silver beads, sterling silver french wire and watched many a video on the internet as well as consulted books on the subject.  I decided to use a pair of jewellery tweezers to help with the knots as I felt this looked the most user friendly way to choose.  I stretched the silk thread the day or so before starting in order to lessen the stretch once the necklace is worn.  It took an afternoon to do the knotting and threading, after a couple of false starts and a few choice words.  I was really pleased with the end result.

 I duly sent the jewellery off, but as sometimes happens, circumstances conspired against me and the parcel's progress went a bit quiet.  I had sent it with tracking and signed for, to try to ensure it arrived safely, but after a good fifteen days, missing my friend's big day (bother), it hadn't arrived and I was more than a little worried.  However, when I checked the tracking progress again, it suddenly reappeared and my friend has now received it.  She left me a lovely phone message and I think she liked it!  

The garden is slowly starting to show its late summer colour - this year, the dominant colours are blue/purple/lilac, thanks to the agapanthus, clematis and hibiscus.

 One of my favourite plants for July/August is Hibiscus Syriacus 'Oiseau Bleu/Bluebird' which has the most exotic looking flowers and which has flowered brilliantly this year.  It is always featured on my blog.

However, to offset all the pastels, I have enjoyed seeing the crocosmia (here, it is 'Columbus') unfurling, with the rich yellows and oranges providing a lovely hit of colour.  Lots to enjoy in the August garden.

'From My Home to Yours' Blog Swap - Parcel Two!

As you may know, I took part in the blog swap organised by Betty and my swap partner Emma sent me a lovely parcel.  She also told me that there were more things she had got ready for the swap, but had forgotten to post them, so to look out for them in parcel two. They arrived safe and sound this week. 

 The parcel was unwrapped with great excitement and here's what greeted me...

I set it out and there was a lavender shortbread pack, made with Jersey lavender, a map and tourist guide of Jersey, a bags of blue beads, a blue crocheted flower, a peach rose brooch, and a very pretty bead necklace (the flowers and necklace made by Emma),

 Here are the necklace, beads and flowers - so pretty!

 So, I put the two parcels of goodies together and this is what I received.

Wow - what a fantastic lot of loveliness!  I am really looking forward to making (and eating) the shortbread - I'll let you know how I get on. A HUGE thank you to Emma for all the beautiful things.  Blog swaps are so much fun!

Stitching Sundays 24 (on Monday, again!)

 Well, I have managed to totally confuse myself (not difficult to do!)with Stitching Sundays this week.  As I would be out on Sunday, I did my stitching on Saturday but then didn't have the chance to write the post until now. Anyway, moving quickly on...

Here's the next three decorations - another little bird and two more snowflakes.  I have one more snowflake to do and then I am thinking that some pom pom snowball decorations might be just the thing I need to fill up the seasonal tree.  I used back stitch and split stitch on these decorations and I am pleased with the way they have turned out.  I do like this combination of colours - normally, bright colours seem to appeal most, but these blues, greys and whites seem to be working well for me too.

My first fruit harvest this year

I am very excited.  My first fruit harvest of the year from my single blueberry bush (Goldtraube).  OK, so there isn't all that much fruit, probably about a small handful, but enough to add to some little cakes, I think.  Baking at the weekend is definitely on the list of things to do.
Last week, there were only green berries but now, after some much needed sunshine, here they are in all their blue/black/purple glory.  There are more on the bush to come though, probably about the same amount again.  As this is one of the only edible things I grow (the others being mint and chives), it required some form of celebration.
Hoorah for the blueberry!

Felt making again - at last!

It has been about six months since I made any felt pieces and last week, I finally managed to pick up my carding combs and make something.  The photo above shows the piece in process and I really liked this combination of blues and turquoises and teals, so had to stop to take a photo.

The piece was based on one I had previously made, taking my inspiration from the sea lavender on the marshes at Saltfleetby, on the Lincolnshire coast.  The original one was fine but I decided to make the colours a little deeper in this version. 

The felted piece, showing how the wool exerts its own influence.  The horizon was a bit more dramatic than I would like, but the colours have worked together well and have given the slightly impressionistic effect I was aiming for.  Now it needs to have the embroidery added, to give more definition to the sea lavender.  That's the next job.

Winter Blues

 I bought these hyacinths at a cut price supermarket for very little money, convinced that they would become the deep, rich, lapis blue that hyacinths seem to be.  So, waiting for them to flower and watching them develop every day became a ritual.  Imagine my surprise when they opened and revealed the delicate china blue of wintry skies, with the hint of pale lilac, like the lightest amethyst.

 They really are quite beautiful.

The colours seem to be reflected in a necklace I made from blue fire agate, with the blues and whites in a random pattern throughout the stone.

This kind of winter blues is one I can really enjoy.

Latest felt piece

Above is the latest of the circles series of pieces I have been working on. This is my favourite so far as I think the combination of blues works very well (as blue is my favourite colour, I may be a little biased!) I used Merino for this piece, which felted very well, in about 20 minutes. My next pieces will see a return to my primary source photos I think, as well as continuing the little hearts and stars. It's all fun!