More encaustic wax pictures

I did a few more encaustic wax pictures before packing it all away for another few months. I love doing it but then I do it to death and get too experimental and the pictures go all 'muddy' looking so at that point, best to pack it away.

mmm! Tasty

Because I've finally settled on a soya milk brand I'm quite happy with, I don't often stray to another brand unless things like Alpro are on a special offer. But, as I'm a fan of hemp based foods I did succumb to this carton of hemp milk. I'm not sure where I got it from as I've had it in the cupboard for a while but I thought I better use it and I have to say it is rather nice and nutty, and not too sweet which some of the alternative 'milks' often are.


Also new in the kitchen this week was a pot of vanilla & chocolate yoghurt, very tasty and the dark chocolate is very dark and to my liking.

Loose ends

Finished a few half started bits n pieces last night. There are some more knitted pencils and a cherry lavender bag.

New text based fabric

Goodness me where has the week gone, I've been so busy with work that I've barely stopped to appreciate the nice spring weather.
I've also hardly looked at this new fabric which arrived at the beginning of the week. I ordered these 2 batches from ebay and I quite like these unusual, text based designs.


I did want to have a go at creating my own text fabric but that will be at a later date.


The fabrics shown here consist of the top photo from Frumble and the bottom pic are heavy linens from Oriental Direct, both have some lovely stuff on their websites.


http://www.frumble.co.uk/
http://www.orientaldirect.co.uk/store/

Vintage Fair - York

Today was one of those Vintage Fairs in York which seem to happen twice a year and which I eagerly look forward to. I think this one was bigger and better than ever, definitely more busy than last Octobers.


The lady with the wonderful vintage fabric was in her usual spot and I bought this Scandinavian farm scene fabric and also the groovy 70's piece you see here.


A stall I hadn't seen before was handmade quirky jewellery by Dolls & Molls, I couldn't resist this cute bunny ring in powder blue. They also had some lovely rings & brooches with vintage caravans on.
Another stall new to me was a lady with all sorts of stuff & craft things & clothes and I bought these antique wedding gift cards which might make a nice collage or maybe I'll take elements and create a fabric design.


Found a stall with fab, nearly new books on and the Indie Craft one was only £3, I think the other was about £5, absolute bargains.
What a wonderful and inspiring way to spend a morning!

Fab Italian in Scarborough

Over the weekend I discovered a fabulous, authentic Italian restaurant in Scarborough called Gianni's on Victoria Rd. A place I have walked past many times and never had the pleasure but some friends suggested it and I'm so pleased they did. 
The portions were very generous and very delicious, my pizza was lovely and thin crusted but with heaps of flavour.
On the pics we have mozzarella salad, roasted goats cheese salad (amazing taste), and a rustico pizza.

Butterflies have flown!

After a bit of work on photoshop the butterflies have flown & turned into guess what...........?


A new pattern for some Spoonflower fabric. I've created the design for the next Spoonflower contest which goes live next Thurs if anyone wants to vote. The subject for the contest was maps and I have taken that in the form of cutting up an old road atlas and making the butterflies with it. 


I have displayed the design in a traditional butterfly collection style and named them.  I've only named a few of the butterflies with their traditional names such as Red Admiral. I've named them mostly after favourite songs and other things which mean something to me. So we have a Blue Monday butterfly by New Order, Golden Brown - The Stranglers, Norwegian Wood - Beatles, a Fisherman's Blue all time favourite by The Waterboys & a Red Cuillin which is one of my favourite mountains on Skye.
There's even a Vanilla Black butterfly which used to be my favourite veggie restaurant in York (since moved it to London) & I have a Blue Stilton butterfly. You could go on and on with this.


I think I might have some of this fabric printed as I'm quite liking the result.


http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome

Paper stitched butterflies

Spring is in the air today as we rapidly approach the Spring Equinox. The sun is out after a long hibernation and winged, flying things were in the garden when I hung some washing out earlier.


I'm working on a new project involving bits of maps with some fabric embellishments to make them into a selection of butterflies. If it all comes together in the next 48 hrs I shall reveal the result here.

More crochet cherries

This week I finished another couple of bunches of crochet cherries for brooches. I went to the extreme of scale and used some fine crochet silk and a 1.5mm hook to make the small cherries which I have tried to show the scale next to the others and a 2p. The small ones are really cute but very difficult to see to do in the not so brilliant light in this house.

Interesting package

I had a surprise package from my sister this week sending me a few bits 'n pieces from her travels. There was a sweetie which is a piece of Polish fudge, there were 2 so I tried one to pass comment and it was a bit too sweet and more like soft, gritty, crusty toffee.
The other items were from the US, a pack of ground coffee which looks like a nice chocolatey flavour to try and I'm not sure if Starbucks over here have it yet. Some Jelly Bellys and some nice patchwork squares & trimmings.

Yummy things with condensed milk

I cracked open a can of condensed milk the other day to make a quick version of florentines which was a lovely recipe I found on the Green Rabbit blog (see link below). Due to quantities of nuts, chocolate etc I was only able to make half, leaving me with half a tin of the lovely creamy stuff left.
Now as much as I love condensed milk by the spoonful I felt it would be a waste to scoff the remainder in that fashion.


Other than fudge I was wondering what else to make when I found some fab recipes on the Carnation site and I opted to make these mini Key Lime Pies and having polished one off already they are quite delicious!

http://greenrabbitdesigns.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/quick-florentines/

http://www.carnation.co.uk/recipes/pies-and-tarts/key-lime-pie

Aren't pencils brilliant!

Where would we be without a pencil? I love pencils and can often be seen unknowingly with one stuck at the side of my ear. Such simple things yet such amazing things can come from a pencil in the right hands. 


My first 'proper' pencil still sits on my desk. It is my first technical drawing pencil which I got after college, I suppose that was when I warranted a bit better piece of kit than a 5p HB from the newsagents! I'm guessing it's getting on for 25 - 30 yrs old and it's still a lovely, comfortable old thing to use.


I also can't resist pencil nic nacs and one of my favourite pencil cases is this plastic pre formed pencil which is also a bit of a vintage thing these days. It was from Habitat back in the early 80's and a bit of a style icon of its time.


Even today when I use computers all the time (using a graphic pen) and when I'm not doing that I'm stitching things, I still can't get away from pencils as they even come in little button forms.


In tribute to the humble pencil I have started some prototype textile brooch pencils, the green being felt and the red a knitted one with felt for the pointed bit.

International Pencil day falls at the end of March (30th) and marks the day the pencil was patented.

Another rabbit!

I hope this rabbit making isn't going too far but today I completed another one which was just crying out for a little dress. I think she looks sweet and I will probably make some more with vintage fabric dresses & aprons.

New networking group launch tonight

I don't usually mention work related things on this blog but I thought I would as it is our launch event tonight and it should be a good social gathering of business friends & colleagues old and new so looking forward to it.

Harrogate - The Bead Fair

The other main part to today's trip was for visiting the Bead Fair at the Pavilions. I'm going to be making some new jewellery which requires some decent quality gemstone beads so a couple of people had mentioned this was the place to source my beads.


It was certainly impressive the amount of stalls, some were beautifully laid out and of the highest quality. I could see how easy it was to be tempted at nearly ever stall and not until I got home and totted up what I'd spent did I realise I'd spent twice as much as what I thought I had! 
So, I'm going to be organised and photograph all of what I've bought, catalogue the costs and make sure these are taken into account when I produce the pieces of jewellery. 
Below are a few things I bought.