A couple of weeks ago, Si and me popped down to Cornwall for a few days. I say popped, but the reality of it means a seven hour train journey, still it is worth every minute. I love the light in Cornwall, especially, that of St. Ives. The light makes everything look brighter, more alive: I think it is something to do with the reflection from the sea (don’t quote me), no wonder artists flock there. I took a lot of photographs, but they don’t really capture the zingy light, still there provide good inspiration for some crafty projects that I want to work on…
Nb – any Cornwall experts will note that the first photograph is not St. Ives, it is Charlestown - you know of Poldark fame!
Sorry that there was no posting last week. I started the week with good intensions of telling you all about the York Makers Spring Fair, which I was busy preparing for last time we chatted. I was soooo busy at the Fair that I completely forgot to take any photos. I know! I’m gutted: the Fair went so well, chatting to lots and lots of lovely people and making a few sales. Then last week, turned into one of those weeks: the truth is last week is going to take me quite a while to get over. Don’t worry everything is, or will be fine, last week just took an awful lot of my energy and I still feel a bit fuzzy from it. I’m very glad that, here in England, we have a lovely long weekend to look forward to. To try and clear my head, Si and I decided to have a day out, we went to the stunning Brimham Rocks. And, yes, I did remember to take my camera. The rock formation are Mother Nature’s way of showing off her skill, they really are awe-inspiring….
The sun was shining and the trees were telling us that Spring is here…
I was so inspired that I decided to start a Pinterest board of stones, if you want to see more inspirational stones have a look HERE and if you want to see more about what inspires me have a look HERE.
Remember that you can also find me on Facebook HERE and on Ravelry HERE
I hope that you all have a lovely weekend whatever you do try and connect with nature and do something creative.
A few weeks ago Si and I decided to head to London for a few days. While in London we walked and walked and walked: we did lots of sight-seeing and spent lots of time wandering around the streets. On one of our wanderings we came across the most amazing art installation hanging on the walls near local shops and cafes. I thought that you’d like to see, so I took lots of pictures for you. Ready for some shape, pattern and colour? Good…
The installation is by the talented artist DaleDevereux Barker. I love his use of shape, pattern and colour. I hope you find it as inspiring!
March is here like a lion: hopefully that means she will leave like a lamb and this cold weather will end. Don’t get me wrong, I am a massive fan of Winter (it is one of my favourite seasons) but I have had enough now and would like some warmth. I think that Mother Nature must also be getting restless with Winter. Have you noticed? She is slowly, slowly starting her Spring show, reminding us that Spring is just around the corner and that the Earth is beginning to warm-up and wake-up from its Winter sleep. A few days ago I wrapped-up and headed out with my friend and her little girl, in search of Spring. And we found Spring in abundance. I took my camera along, so that you could see for yourself…
Spring is on its way, so this weekend, wherever you are, go for a walk and say good morning to the World as it wakes for another year…
Oh and if you are inside, this weekend, don’t forget that you can find me on Facebook HERE
The world seems to have had a difficult start to 2015: with the awful things that are happening. I hope that your 2015 has got off to a more peaceful start? I am truly blessed that mine has. Even when things get stressful (and really they aren’t in comparison) I find that it is incredibly important to remember just how lucky I am. When I feel myself wavering, and things start to build-up (as they often do for many over the Christmas holidays) I try really hard to keep life as simple as possible, and reconnect with the little, but oh-so important things. One thing I love to do is go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, I often like to go for a walk along the river, which is close (sometimes too close when it floods) to my home. I am very lucky that I can head to the end of my street turn left and be in the middle of York and turn right and wander along the river bank of the Ouse. This is what I did one cold and frosty morning; I took my camera along – so that you too can come along…
Not a person in sight, it’s just us…
Still just us as we near the Millennium Bridge…
Turned into Rowntree’s Park (yes, we have visited here many, many, many times before) where the grass was dusted with icing…
And the water frozen…
And the park benches had a frosty, fuzzy, coating…
And the leaves looked like they had been dipped in icing sugar…
But still there were reminders that Spring isn’t far away…
My hope for us all in 2015 it that we can have peace. That we acknowledge that we are all different, celebrate that we are all different and not be afraid to talk about out differences. Can you imagine if we were all the same? So, please where ever you are, pray for peace, look for the blessings in your life and remember that beauty is all around.
Ps – I forgot to tell you. Over Christmas I embraced the twenty-first century and set up a Facebook page for byhelen. So, if you’d like to pop over and like the page, please do, this means that you’ll get notifications when I post and lots of other things that I want to share with you. At the moment my Facebook page hasn’t lots of content, but it will come: we all have to start somewhere!
Yesterday me and two friends went on our annual trip to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate (we go every year). What a treat! Halls and halls of lovely things to buy, so much creativity everywhere you looked. I took my camera, and I took a-lot, a-lOT, A-LOT of pictures. Honestly everywhere there was inspiration, I wanted to share it with you. Hopefully I got something for all of you? Sewers, Knitters, Crocheters, Quilters, Lace-Makers, Patch-Workers, Needle-Felters, Felters and Embroiderers. Or those who wish to share in the pure genius of a knitted Thorin Oakenshield, Smaug or Harry Potter – yes there really was something for everyone…
Here in the UK we’ve been having an unexpectedly warm September: I’m talking about a proper Indian-Summer - it’s just lovely. I love a warm September, when you don’t really expect the sun to be shining and to be outdoors without a jumper. I feel that we really should make the most of the last few days of warmth, you never know when they’ll end, so Si and me decided to head to the sea-side. There seemed to be something very special, almost magical, about walking along the beach in the September warmth, it was almost like we were cheating Autumn! We took a very slow, gentle, walk along the beach: taking care to notice everything, from stones and pebbles to sea-weed and discarded beach toys. I loved that looking at the sand was like visiting an art-gallery, only the works of art were ever-changing and created by that great artist Mother Nature. Want to see what we saw?
Random pebbles in the sea…
Heart pebbles…
Sea-weed: I love the vibrancy of the green…
And the green and the purple together…
My Favourite! Sea-trees…
Si and me...
I know that this being the UK, the weather won’t last: but for now I intend to enjoy every last little bit of sun-shine that is on offer.
Holiday, vacation, break, time-away, time-out, leave: call it what you want - we’ve managed to squeeze in a few days away! We have just returned from a delicious few days in Northumberland. We love, lo-ve, LO-VE Northumberland; in the (nearly) twelve years that we have been together, we’ve visited numerous times. Northumberland is just the most perfect place: it really has everything, beaches, castles, abbeys, pubs, cafes, amazing countryside and it is only a couple of hours away from York. What’s not to love? Normally when we go to Northumberland, we stay at the coast, like we did last year. This year, we decided to stay inland: just below Hadrian's Wall, in the pretty village of Corbridge. The weather was wonderful and we spent our time outdoors, wondering along shady river banks, punctuated with quaint little cafes! The holiday was really good for the soul, there is something incredibly special about been in beautiful surroundings and inspiration for life is around every corner….
Just perfect; now we’re back, fully rested and ready for the next few weeks...
I really hope that you get the chance to take some time-out and go somewhere lovely: even if it just a walk to the local park or around your garden, it really does a lot of goodness for your insides and outs.
Last week my friends and I went on our annual trip to the Knitting and Stitching show, at Harrogate. We go every year. The show is massive: full of stalls selling you things that you need and things that you didn’t know you needed. The show is also a brilliant source of inspiration: with areas given over to displays of works by some very talent artists. I had my camera with me, so I took some picis to share with you. Hope that you are ready to be inspired…
Amazing textile art…
Brilliant finger loop braiding: just like I make – only better…
Knitted pictures…
Crocheted covered furniture…
And perhaps my favourite, a life-sized (yes life-sized) knitted Nativity…
The knitted Nativity, or Knitivity, was knitted to raise money for St. Peter’s Hospice, Bristol. If you would like to donate to this brilliant cause, you can HERE or find out more about the project HERE. What could be better crafting for charity…
Yesterday I had the day off work. I really felt that I had earned the day: as the past few weeks have been crazy busy – working (as normalish) at the National Railway Museum but also teaching craft classes at the Silver Thimble and working at York Minster. I had become tired and slightly confused, having to look at my diary each day to check that I was going to the right place: not to mention those days when I found myself needing to be in two places at once! Routine seems to be settling back in: I am getting used to dashing across town and I have accepted this craziness as my new normal. Maybe one day I’ll get one full-time job in one place: maybe I’d be bored! Anyway, yesterday I caught-up with my lovely friend C and her gorgeous daughter I (the one I love to crochet for). C and I (me not her little girl I) couldn’t decide what we wanted to do, so we decided to defer the decision making to the three year old: who very clearly told us we were going to Fountains Abbey. We often visit Fountains Abbey, I have blogged about it before I really can’t stress to you how amazing Fountains Abbey is. Truly, truly, beautiful. The trees were still hanging on to their Autumn leaves and we found the very best type of bug, the chocolate covered type. I think that the picis I took speak for themselves…
Days like yesterday really make your heart sing! Here’s to many, many more of them…
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