Visit to Salts Mill, Bradford

 I went off on a jaunt to Salts Mill in Saltaire, Bradford with some friends yesterday and after a wrong turn or two we arrived in glorious sunshine (such a contrast to two days ago when it was snowing).  Salts Mill was built by Titus Salt in the 1853 to spin his alpaca and russian wools.  He built the whole village around it for the workers, including a church and a school, in response to the appalling living conditions in nearby Bradford.

 I can never go very far without finding a cat

 and another,

 and another.  I'm wondering if T. Milnes made lions for gravestones as well, I'll have to do some research, as these lions remind me of one in Highgate Cemetery.

 The streets are narrow and cobbled still.

 The chimneys are massive.

 The church like a spectacular cake!

 The mill building is now divided into galleries with art materials, a book shop to die for (I could have spent all day and all my money in there), antiques emporiums and yummy restaurants.

 Even the toilets have been left with the industrial tiles and feel.

 There is a designer homeware shop with displays of vintage pottery, some by one of my friends.

 And they had a display of Totem by Portmerion, one of my all time favourite ranges.

 Around the mill are lovely shops including vintage, which is where I spotted this lovely bit of embroidery

and a gallery showing these super quirky art dolls by Ann Davies, an artist living and working in Saltaire.

Just to prove it was snowing earlier this week, some snowdrops out at Newtown Linford, so pretty with their little blanket of snow.

Stitching Little Quiltlets

 Now the studio is tidy and my table is clear I'm back to creating!  In tidying up I came across lots of started-but-not-completed projects.  Let's face it we all have them.  The ones we lose interest in, the ones that need something but we don't know what, the impulse buys etc.  Well, one of my resolutions this year is to finish more than I start!  So these little quiltlets, a la Teesha Moore, were started ages ago and then I moved on to something else and these languished in a box.

 Well, no more.  I've now cut out some more, watched the videos again on Youtube and started stitching again.  They are so simple to make and easy to pick up and put down, so ideal TV project.  It's great when a project fits in a box don't you think?

 I also came across this stitched journal that I suspect was made using Teesha Moore's instructions and only one flap had been started, so combining the quiltlet cover with this journel will mean two projects finished!

In the process of tidying I came across this box of soft sculptured heads that I made in workshop many years ago, probably the 90's, and I still don't know what to do with them.  Any suggestions?

Crochet Gloriousness

 Earlier this month my lovely friend Annie from Nana Go Go sent me the most wonderful present, a handcrocheted bag in the most delicious swirling blues and turquoises.  It is a true delight;  she has put so much surface decoration and texture in it.

It undulates and wriths, swirls and twirls in woolly fabulousness.

 Quite simply, it is stunning and Annie is a genius!

 I think you will agree?

Happy Frederick Arbuthnot Day

It's 4 years since my Freddy passed on but he's not forgotten, I always mark the day with treats for my boys.  So Gourmet pate or Sheba tender slices, decisions, decisions..... sure the boys would say both, lol.




Hutch turned 10 this past week.  He didn't seem too impressed but soon bucked up when the cat milk came out - he's such a foodie.

As you may have noticed I'm starting to play around with my photos - and having so much fun.  Here's one of Merlin, showing off his multiple personalities

I'm hoping to actually get something creative done today as studio almost tidied.  What are you up to today?

Starting the Year with the Inspirational Deck Swap

Now the mince pies have settled and the fireworks have gone off and 'normal' life resuming I wanted to share some of the wonderful cards that I got from the Inspirational Deck Swap I participated in.  It arrived between Christmas and New Year like a belated but very welcome present and it's stunning.  So many artists have come together to make this a wonderful swap.

 Here are just some of the fabulous cards that I've pulled out of the deck to share with you today.  The above artists are Kristin Dudish, Annette R Lansing and Joann Loftus.  The cards below were made by Sandra Beligi, Mary Jane Chadbourne and Grace Mendex.

They really are a very inspirational way to start the New Year.  I've just got to decide whether to make a box, a journal or a ring to keep them all in mmmm........

And I shall be visiting the artists and their blogs/facebooks etc over the next few days, really looking forward to meeting you all.  Thank you for all your superb work.

Hope you've all had a wonderful festive time and may I wish you a Happy, Creative and Artistic 2013!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Crafts

 I've been busy making things for some Christmas Craft Fairs I've been standing.  These trees are made from the pages of an old copy of A Christmas Carol by Dickens and I used corks for the bases.

 These jotters are made out of junk envelopes with book print and buttons

A selection of Christmas tags with vintage images, lace and buttons and a smattering of glitter

These kilt pin brooches are lovely to make, involving me getting all my beads out (and I have way too many) and sorting out different colour combinations - a delightful job :-)

with little metal charms added.  These jingle really sweetly, when you move.

And last, but not least I've made some little books, actually using some of my scrapbook paper stash instead of just looking and admiring it!

That's the last craft fair stood today, now on to christmas present making, a crafters work is never done, lol

Little Quote to Ponder for Tuesday

Another ATC from the Inspiration Card Deck Swap - Happy Tuesday!