Sketchbook Peeks

I love peeking behind the scenes of peoples' studios and work, don't you? Often when I'm looking at pieces of art and craft it's the tools or the process that fascinates me the most. It's all part of parcel of the finished product, in a way.

I thought you might like a peek behind the scenes of some of my makes. These recent watercolours (which look more like ink, I do declare) were the fleshing out of some ideas I've had in my sketchbook, trying to see where this composition could lead. Of course, I had a companion by my side throughout it all, inventing and making something of his very own too...

What are you making these days?

Another Fine Mess

Sometimes, a mess is just nature's way of telling you you've had a good time.

This Busy Table

I dream of having a proper farmhouse table someday. Thick, sturdy legs; pastry-rolling height; worn and old and gnarled. That would be right next to the farm of my dreams and living happily ever after in the dreams section of my brain on a back-burner. I would love a huge table that the whole family, any passing guests and extended in-laws could happily sit around in comfort as we tucked into a hearty, healthy meal by candle-light.

*Puff* Back to reality. This is the table we have now. It is still very big - certainly big enough for our needs, and had we actually a room big enough to fit it in without having to scuttle sideway around and climb over chairs and each other to get to our seats, it would be perfect.

Right now, this is the table we work from.























I wonder if when I'm an old(er) woman I'll have fond memories of this table? Even this house? Certainly a lot gets done here. My children are growing around this table... in so many ways.

And this is me trying to MAKE the best of everything, even though I don't HAVE the best of everything. Sometimes, to be happy with life, that's all you can do, isn't it?


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Getting into Autumn

Inspired so very much by this image by Erin (isn't it beautiful? she takes amazing shots) we decided that it was time we made room for autumn in our home by sprucing up the sitting room and welcoming the season in with a little more grace than we had been doing.

So one afternoon family art time was spent making a simple, rustic garland that the boys took great pride in making and a string of leaves that dance and swirl like falling leaves with any breeze. We might add more strings of leaves as our nature walks continue. It would make the bay window a little more dramatic, don't you think?

It's amazing what a few scraps of fabric and some thread can achieve...


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