If You Can't Afford It, Make It Yourself!!

Where I live there is a lovely little jewellery shop that sells all silver pieces in contemporary designs. I have to walk past it every time I use the car park to go shopping and can never resist having a look in the window as there is always something I would very much like to own...in fact, I wouldn't turn down the chance to possess each and every shiny thing on display! But times being as they are, I can't justify spending the supermarket money on pretty things.....

Occasionally, however, it is possible to re-create something using what I have in my craft stash, which is what I've done with the above necklace. I've been drooling over this one for a couple of weeks now, and found some beads that would be suitable while rummaging in the bargain bags at the Gem & Bead show, and the rest I already had in my collection, so it was just a matter of putting it all together. There are a couple of differences - the large round bead should be wooden and the thonging should be double, but I am very pleased with the results - and all for under £5!

Lend us a Squid...........

One knitted squid, complete and ready to go off to his new home. I've added glass eyes once again to this pattern - makes the whole thing so much better, seems to pull it all together somehow. This was quite fiddly to do (those tentacles!!) but a lot of fun - I might just have to make another one...

Treasures......

We went to the Gem & Bead fair at Farnham yesterday - what lovely, lovely stuff they had! I could have spent an absolute fortune on beads and findings but restrained myself and came home with the above. I've not made much jewellery over the past year as other commitments have taken over my creative life, but this little lot has given me some inspiration to start up again. Watch this space!


While I am still painting potatoes, at the moment it's something slightly different as it is the book cover. It's going to take quite some time, but is already very enjoyable - note how I've done the 'boring' bit first, saving the leaves and flowers for later!

Knitting.......I'm making a squid for someone! Nearly finished, should be done by this evening.

Can I Have A Doggy Bag, Please?

I don't know about the rest of you dog owners out there, but I seem to carry an awful lot of paraphernalia when I walk my dogs. There's my keys, phone, tin of doggy treats, plastic bags, tissues, gloves/water bottle depending on the weather, as well as a couple of tennis balls. In the winter I can just about get away with jamming it all in the pockets of my battered old dog-walking jacket - a sad charity shop find in army green that could probably walk itself with over ten years of accumulated grot and grime embedded into it, despite being washed.....occasionally......

But in the summer, particularly when we have weather like last week, the last thing you need when you are crashing through the undergrowth in pursuit of a high-speed saluki is a hot jacket or even a waistcoat. So when Cat at Raggy Rat asked what I would like in exchange for three knitted snails, I had no hesitation in asking for a dog-walking bag. Here it is.....


She's done a fantastic job - it's the right size to fit everything in comfortably, the strap is long enough to go over my head so I can have the bag on my hip for easy access, the zip makes getting to the contents quick and easy, and it is also very, very pretty! I gave it a road test (field test?) this afternoon and it is perfect - I could even fit my camera in there with no problem. Thanks Cat!!

One Skein Wonder

Here's a little something that was great fun to make. It's from a pattern in this month's Yarn Forward magazine and I have used some yellow, peach & purple soft varigated yarn which makes it look very summery. It is a narrow wrap, probably no more than 8 inches at it's widest part, with a fancy lace edging. The plain knit part has used the short row technique to get a curved shape, and there is a cast off picot edging at the top. Doesn't that all sound very technical! However it is constructed, it is very pretty although not for anyone with broad shoulders (like me :0(....) If you are interested in giving this a home, contact me.


Here's my little grey dog, now with his back legs and tail and he's had a bit of a brush to make him fluffy and even cuter than he was before. He is awaiting the rest of his accessories - coat, bed, bowl & toy - in order to look for a new home at a local summer fair this Friday. If he is unsuccessful there, he'll go on Etsy - or you can snap him up first by contacting me!SOLD!

A day off from potato painting today, but a big project coming up this week when I buy the appropriate sized board - a whole potato plant, roots & all. Interesting..........

No Wonder I'm Tired!

Apart from completing the aforementioned snails, this week I have........


...completed three potato paintings..........


...made a special glass bead and wire wrapped cross commissioned by a friend of mine.......


...knitted a fuzzy grey dog (although he has yet to have his back legs attached!) and knitted the lace edging to a summer wrap.

In addition to the craft projects, we have had Ofsted (school inpectors) in at the school where I work, which meant some stress & overtime; Sports Day - I was in charge of a team (what were they thinking?) of infants, charging around in the blazing sunshine yesterday afternoon - we came seventh out of 11 teams, so not too bad; my daughter's leaving 'do' at college; and everything done whilst being very tired due to lack of sleep because of the stifling heat in our house. Some nice little boy yesterday gave me a 'Well Done' sticker - I think I deserved it!

Snail Trail........

I'm very glad these three snails aren't real and on the rampage in the garden! Instead they are part of a swap with Cat at Raggy Rat - in return I am to get a custom-made dog-walking bag, with room for all the bits & pieces needed and a nice long strap for slinging it over my shoulder as I need both hands free most of the time. Swaps are such fun!

I'm going to join the ranks of Brits complaining about the heat - phew!! I used to live in Greece but didn't suffer as much out there as it was a dry heat, not the stifling humidity we seem to get here when the temperature goes over a certain level. Not helped this week by it being 'Sports Week' at the school where I work in the mornings, so lots of running about and being energetic when all you want to do is sit in the shade with a nice cold drink!