Oh no - not another sunset

I can hear you groaning from here.... I really did hesitate to post yet another sunset but when I looked up from my unending task of clearing dead stuff from the garden, this sunset caused an intake of breath.  A thin layer of cloud had turned the sun into a golden ball my camera lens was able to capture and the crows flying home to roost added some detail and scale to the scene. 

I've only just started spring cleaning my untidy patch but lots of emerging shoots are buried under the remains of last year's beauties.  However I did feel a bit guilty disturbing hibernating creatures like this ladybird and I quickly covered this one up again in case there is frost tonight.

I was pleased to see a few catkins on the hazel bushes I have grown from cob nuts.  They are about 5 years old now and this is the first time they have flowered - I'm sure you remember from school nature table lessons that the tiny red tassel above the male catkin is the female flower.  Fingers crossed there might just be a few nuts in the autumn.

The daffodils are in their prime right now but I have a real liking for the little pulmonarias dotted about here and there.  Their flowers are quite small but I love how they start out pink and turn to blue when fully open - but almost better than the flowers are those wonderful spotty leaves.

Fastest hook in the west?

Well I'm in east Wales but then Wales is on the west side of GB so I think it counts!  Because I work on Sundays my weekend is Friday and Saturday and so I tend to have a very slow start Saturday mornings..... but this morning my latest Mollie Makes dropped through the letterbox and I couldn't resist getting down to the free gift project right away.  Its a lovely crochet bloom designed by Anna Rakoniewska.  I've had a peep at her Etsy shop and oh there are some gorgeous hooky items on sale there.  I added a die cut felt leaf to my bloom and will pin it to my coat today ..... though I might not need a coat as the sun is out and the sky is blue.

As usual my little flock of sparrows is enjoying the seed I put out first thing.  I snapped this little chap - don't you think his feathers are beautiful!

Mollie's Mice

My Mollie mice have all reached their new homes safely so I'm posting the family portrait I took before they 'left home'.  Meet Flo, Miss Daisy and Florence.  Mollie Mouse has stayed at home to help me in my craft space.  They were quite fiddly to make but I enjoyed myself, especially knitting the little cardigans and sewing the dresses.  I think if I make any more I'll have to rethink the pattern and make some alterations. I really need to make putting the heads and bodies together a bit easier.

 I wanted to send cards with my mice and had been meaning to try out this design I found on Little Birdie Secrets a while ago.  I die cut my butterflies in sugar paper.  Did you use it in school art lessons?  I bought a thick pad of the paper many years ago and I'm still using it!  I love the soft muted shades and as long as you don't want to use anything very detailed, clear stamps work well on it.  I used a reverse polka dot stamp and matching Distress Inks here.

Supplies: PTI butterfly die, Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Stamps: PTI Friendship Jar (I used the polka dot jar filler), Think Big Favorites #2

Brown Paper Packages.......

Everyone likes the postman to call and a few days ago I opened the door to my postie and accepted a very exciting package tied up with string.  And in it was........ a few bits of wood!  BUT these were no ordinary bits of wood - this was beautifully presented wooden doll kit from Sophie Tilley Designs.  I'd been coveting a vintage wooden doll (pictured on the right) on ebay but she sold for much more than I could afford so I was really glad I'd ordered my doll kit. 

I saw Sophie's doll kit on Pinterest (I spend far too much time there) and when I followed the link to her Etsy shop I was  surprised to find it was not based in the US but in North Wales.... in fact only 30 or so miles away from me in the village of Trefriw!  Trefriw is well known to me as my Great Great Grandparents are lying in the churchyard there.  How's that for an enabler!  I've a few projects to get out of the way before I make my doll but I'm enjoying planning her in my head.

Double Dutch???

We all have our favourite crafty designers - mine are quite obvious if you are a regular reader of this blog.... and their inspirational blogs are regularly at the top of my reading list.  Of course we all have different tastes and styles - I like clean and simple but also vintage so when I came across Eline Pellinkhof she shot right into my top 10! Eline is a Dutch designer but her products are easily found in the UK (Cuddly Buddly has lots) AND she has written two beautiful books that are absolutely crammed with gorgeous projects...... there's just one problem - they are only available in Dutch! However I couldn't resist and quickly purchased Eline's Winter Huis.  Would you believe there are 86 gorgeous projects in it and I honestly haven't found the language a problem as there are clear photographs and templates.  The only real difficulty will be when I try the crochet projects - but I'm sure translation won't be that difficult with the help of google.

Anyway, enough waffle.  Here is my version of Eline's owl.  He's featured throughout the book in paper and ink, fabric, cross stitch, applique, and I've turned my owl into one of my favourite projects, a scented sachet, by adding a hanger and dried lavender to the stuffing.  I'm busy creating my own parliament of owls (did you know that's their collective name) and I also have another of Eline's projects on the go - can you guess what it is yet!

Finally, GUESS WHAT! I read in Mollie Makes  that Eline's first book, Eline's Huis, will be published in English in August!  Oooooo, can I wait till then!

Late winter sunshine

The blossom on the plum tree is the first to appear

We've just enjoyed two glorious days here in North Wales!  The garden is starting to come to life, the birds are singing, the sky is clear blue, and the nights are star lit. 

The daffodils came out for St David's Day

Blackbirds and Robins are singing - even in the dark!

I'm not an astronomer but I do like to star gaze and the night sky has been pretty impressive this week with Venus and Jupiter shining brilliantly as I walk home at dusk. And although I've lived here for many many years its the first time I've been in the right place at the right time to see the sun setting through the church spire.  Luckily I had my camera with me to record it.

St Peter's Church spire at dusk

Unfortunately the forecast for the weekend is not good..... but they could be wrong!  Wherever you are have a good one.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus a Llongyfarchiadau! (to my Mouse Winners)

 

Bore da a Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus i chi. 

(Good morning and Happy St David's Day to you) I was hoping to have a jug full of our national flower on my table today but would you believe there wasn't a single bunch to be found anywhere yesterday afternoon when I got to the shops - I was too late, they were all sold out!  So its just as well I like to bring out my collection of Macmillan daffodils every year - they are much too pretty to throw away and I always wear the newest one to celebrate our patron saint's day.

And llongyfarchiadau (congratulations) to my three mouse winners who have been drawn by that reliable but rather boring chap, Random Generator as Number 1 - Lissy Lou, Number 2 - Emma, and Number 8 - Sarah-Jane.  Sorry I didn't get this done yesterday - I really don't know where the day went!  I'll email my winners this evening for their addresses....... and as I feel rather bad for you other 7 commenters (there were only 10 of you who entered my little giveaway) I'm thinking of having some runner-up prizes - I'll get back to you all when I've thought of something.

The first day of another month already!  Here is the March page from Children Month by Month, my vintage picture book.