Back from Cornwall

We arrived back yesterday night after a wonderful week camping in Bodmin in Cornwall. We stayed at South Penquite Farm, which is where we stayed last time and had a lovely time. The site is a working farm with lots of eco friendly features, like the solar heated showers. The weather was a bit iffy and wet for some of the week but we had a wonderful and relaxing time in spite of it :)

We paid a return visit to Restormal Castle in Lostwithniel on the first full day and then visited Looe in the afternoon. The castle was amazing and it was so nice to see it in the sunshine.



The next day we went to the Lost Gardens of Heligan just outside St Austell. The Gardens are absolutely enormous and it took us a whole day to explore and we still didn't get to see everything. We picked a great day to visit too as it scorching hot and the trees and gardens made for some cool shady spots.

The Jungle


The Fruit & Veg Gardens






We then went to St Ives the following day and had a good day checking out the latest collections at the Tate Gallery and then going onto the Barbara Hepworth Gallery. I wasn't overly taken with anything at the Tate but loved Barbara Hepworths' work. I wasn't familiar with her before the day so it was really interesting.

We also visited Bodmin town for a spot of shopping and visited Boscastle on our last full day. The weather was a bit of the blowy side so we had a wander round the Museum of Witchcraft. It was fasinating and well worth a visit.

Boscastle

Feeling Green (in a good way) :)

I've been feeling so chuffed this evening - our local Green Party candidate won a place in yesterdays elections and now has a place on the council \o/ I've voted Green for as long as I could vote (nearly 20 years) and it used to niggle me when people used to say 'its a wasted vote' and 'why bother'. It may have taken a little time but it definitely wasn't a waste. Well done to St Albans Green Party for all their hard work :)

I'm also feeling extra happy as I got my yearly butterfly fix today. I went to see the latest developments at Butterfly World and got to see some of the most beautiful butterflies. I always think there's something really magical about butterflies. They are all so beautiful and delicate. I took tons of pics so here's a few of my favourites.







I could have kicked myself on the way back - I'd seen that there was an Atlas moth about but looked all over for him/her and saw no sign of it. If you're not familiar with them, I think they're the biggest butterfly - about the size of a horse (well, maybe a slight exaggeration!) - After leaving with no sightings I found out it was on the ceiling the whole time. I should have looked up! Doh!

Finally, on the subject of butterflies, I also finished another painting. I'm not totally satisfied with it - the butterflies feel a bit flat :/. I may go back and tweak it later but here it is in its current form.

Magic & Alchemy

Yesterday was very exciting - my bf was having his first Raku firing and I got to be there to see the results. It was absolutely fascinating seeing the red hot, glowing pots come out of the kiln and seeing them cool. Seeing the colours develop as they cools was magical. I took tons of pics, although, very annoyingly I managed to delete some of the last ones before I'd uploaded them - Doh!

Here's some of the pics from the afternoon :)

Beads, Beads and a bit of Daniel Craig

Its been a good week for cakery and beads. On Monday we went out for the day to Oxford to visit the Pitt Rivers Museum and I had a great time exploring all the cool collections. Unlike a lot of museums where things are organised by their origin or the era they come from, everything here was organised by what it was. There were tons of cabinets full of jewellery from all over the world and all through time. I also enjoyed looking at the weapons and all there ornate and decorative handles. The work that must have gone in to making some of them was amazing and very inspiring.
Heres some pics of some of my favourite bits







I also saw in the news that it was International Womens Day yesterday and loved the video made by Sam Taylor Wood highlighting the inequality that still exists in the world for women. I thought I'd share it with you all here.

Busy week in Katsville

Last night I went out to see Mark Thomas live at our local theatre. He was utterly amazing. I think to say he was a comedian would do him a disservice - he's kind of like v witty, v human and engaging human rights activist. Last night he was talking about his recent trip to the West Bank and how he walked along the wall that divides the West Bank from Israel. I've been a fan for years but never had the chance to see him till now and I would definitely recommend it.



Completely different and much lighter note, I've finished making all my geeky crafts for the Geeky Swap on Cut Out & Keep so I should be posting those off by the end of the week :) I love making things for others. I think its probably my biggest source of inspiration. Hopefully Kiddo will love the bits I've made her as much as I've loved making them :)

I'm also reading loads at the moment. I finished Gentlemen and Players and I'm now reading another of Joanne Harris'. I'm reading Chocolat. I've seen the film a few times so wasn't going to read it, but after reading Gentlemen and Players I got really into her style of writing. I'm loving Chocolat and I'm already near the end.

It's been a bit of the wet and soggy side the last few weekends so I haven't got the down the plot for a couple of weeks. I have been starting some seeds off at home though. I have chili and onions on the window sill.

*wheeze wheeze*

Still off work at the moment but thankfully I'm feeling a lot better today than I have for quite a bit. Still wheezing like I've got a 60 a day habit but otherwise feeling a lot healthier \o/
I forgot to put in my last post that I was down in Norwich last weekend visiting parents and dropping off Christmas pressies. In spite of feeling a bit rough I really enjoyed it and had a good time on Sunday pottering round the shops with my boyfriend. We had the most amazing chocolate cake in a place called Marmalade in the Arcade and I picked up a few new crystals from Head in the Clouds. We also discovered that Head in the Clouds has its own website. It was a favourite shop growing up and its where I used to pick up my hair dye, floaty skirts, jewellery and other niknaks and stickers. The best thing of all is that it hasn't changed a bit since I was a child so lots of happy memories :)
We also had a walk back through some of the back streets and got to see some great graffiti.
My mum also got me Audrey Niffenegers 'Her Fearful Symmetry' so I've had my nose stick in that since Sunday. Its already looking very good so I can't see it taking long to read.

Maybe I should have been a Surgeon :)

I've been stitching like there's no tomorrow. I've made loads more inchie xmas cards, some more stuff for my folksy shop and a craft roll for myself :) I have been meaning to make one for ages and finally got round to it last night. Its made from a pair of old jeans with some scraps of felt for the pockets and an old hair bobble. I can fit loads in it and when its done up its about the size of a pencil case. I'm really chuffed with it :)
I've also been out and about a bit this weekend. Yesterday I went over to Stevenage to visit my boyfriends new studio. He's really into pottery and has now got himself a studio so he can make pots and stuff any time he likes. It was a great size and I got to see his wheel and latest creations. Its really exciting.
Afterwards we went to Hexton and had a yummy lunch in the Lavender Tea Rooms and a potter round the craft market. I picked up some more cool ribbon, some cool silver beads and some coloured wire. I want to have play around with the wire and try and make some wire wrapped jewellery. I've seen some really pretty stuff on flickr and would like to have a go myself.

Back from Berlin

We just got back last night from the most amazing holiday. My first time ever abroad (well further afield than Ireland) and I loved it. As you have probably guested from the title, we went to Berlin. A beautiful city with so much to see, a week was no where near long enough but we had a nice relaxing potter around and managed to see a fair few of the sites.
Purely by chance and good luck we found that Berlin has a Dali Gallery devoted entirely to Salvador Dali and his work. While there wasn't any of his big oil paintings there, there was still loads to see. I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven :) We also became very well acquainted with Ampelmann, the German equivalent to the man in the traffic light. He's apparently only found in the former East German side of Berlin and is very cool. He is so popular that he even has his own shop (which can also be found online here). I thoroughly enjoyed doing the whole touristy bit and have come home with my own Ampelmann t-shirt :)
I'm planning on put together all my soveniers in some form of scrapbook or something similar. I think I need to recover from the journey home though. zzzzz
I also need to get going on the swaps that I've signed up to. I'm taking part in the second round of the tiny swap, the spooky swap and earrings swap :) I'll have to get my crafty act together and come up with some things. I've already got some ideas of what to make Kiddo for the tiny swap.
I'm also in the process of making something for a friends birthday :) I won't say anymore though as I know she's probably reading this ;)

Mad Hatters and Red Queens

I spent yesterday dressed as Alice for an Alice in Wonderland themed Tea Party and can safely say that I have consumed somewhere near my own body weight in cake. There was so much cake! I bought biscuits but I think everyone else bought cakes. They were yummy though and I still felt stuffed until about 4 in the afternoon today. The party was at fellow CO&Ker Aimees' and for the occasion I made myself some Alice themed jewellery and an Alice band for my hair.
The Cheshire cat earrings were made from fimo and were extremely fiddly to make but I was really chuffed with how they came out. The oversized charm bracelet was made from odds and sods I had around the flat. The pocket watch was made from the old outside of a real pocket watch which I bought for about 50p ages ago at a charity shop. It had no innards though as my bf had tried to get it working and then couldn't get it back in its case so I had to make a clock face to go inside out of fimo.
Today has been spent mostly napping and catching z's. It was really warm so I didn't go out until quite late and bought myself a maxi dress for the summer from New Look. A bit naughty as I've been trying to save up for a holiday later this year but its really comfy and cool. Its shocking pink and strapless :)

What a Scorcher!

Its been really summery this week and its been a baking hot weekend. Yesterday we went to one of our favourite haunts - the Lavender Tea Rooms in Hexton. Its a not really doable if you don't drive so we don't go very often but when we go its wonderful. Its a really old fashioned Tea Room in the Village Hall. One side is Tea Rooms and the other side is Craft Market so as you can imagine, I'm in seventh heaven :). We stuffed ourselves silly on cake and tea and then had a little potter round the Craft Market. I managed to get myself 3 bags of mixed beads, some wool and some bits for putting in my hair for £5.50.
Yesterday afternoon I spent a good couple of hours sorting out my new beads and tidying my big box that I keep all my jewellery making stuff in.
I have also been making stuff for a new swap that I've signed up to. I've signed up to a Tiny swap so I'm making 7 tiny items for my swap partner, Violetta. I've already made 5 so I was on a roll last night.
I've also been making some new bits for my shop. I've been making Snake Pendants and Face Earrings from Fimo and using googly eyes. There a bit silly but the best things usually are.
I've also been reading tons. I've finished Bill Brysons' A Short History of Nearly Everything and now I'm reading Robert Winstons' Human Instinct. I'm enjoying reading something scientific for a change and have already been looking at the shelves to find what to read next.

Oooops

I think I've turned into a girl :/ I keep buying clothes and I've worn skirts twice this week. I'm going to blame it on the sunshine. For some unknown reason this seems to happen most years. Its not like Spring and Summer are a new invention but every year I have a little panic about not having any clothes for the summer and go a little crazy.
I need to tighten my belt (in every sense) as I've overspent this month and had to transfer some savings. I've also still got another week to go before pay day :/
In my defence I did go to Camden twice this month. I challenge anyone to go there and not come home with some naughty purchase. I got the most amazing wrap skirt. Its shocking pink (one of my favourite colours) with black net over the top. Its wonderful and long and so comfy. I'm a little dubious of wearing it to work though as I have this little paranoia about wrap skirts as they don't just come undone. One minute you're dressed and the next minute you're not! I might be shocking pink too if that happens :/
My repotted Pansies are mostly doing okay. I few of them have gone a bit on the straggley side but on the whole they should be okay. Mr Cyclamen on the other hand doesn't look too healthy. I think he's getting too much sun in the spot he's in and has gone a bit frazzled looking. I'm going to try watering him a bit more and see if that perks him up. Fingers crossed.

Inchies

I've been a bit of a slack blogger of late again. I'm not quite sure why but time seems to have picked up pace this month and got away from me.
I had a little experiment last Wednesday and tested out the matinee that is on most Wednesday afternoons at my local theatre. I saw Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr and once I'd got over the awkwardness of being the youngest person there by about 20 years I really enjoyed it. I got myself settled down with my 50p hot chocolate and bag of sweeties and whiled away a couple of hours in the company of Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law. Not a bad way to spend the day and tickets cost a bargain price of £4! I think I can safely say that experiment was a success.
I've also been doing a bit of shopping round my local charity shops and had a real bargain fest. For about £20 I picked myself up a mid length, black, velvet coat, a grey fleece hoody, a little, short, brown dress, a cool, bright green, bag for work, a bronze, sparkly cardie and a bathroom set of smellies which were unopened. It was a good days bargain hunting. Unfortunately its not that good all the time but thats largely why you have to get things when you see them.
On the crafting front I've been getting into making inchies. I can't remember if I've described these before but they are basically inch square scraps of fabric decorated with beads and embellishments. I've been making them for a swap and they are on the theme of spring. I've loved doing them and once I finally get round to sending these off I think I'll make some for myself.
Finally, on the spodding front, I have been thoroughly addicted to the latest GTA game (Chinatown Wars) and have been totally engrossed. For the first time ever in a GTA game I've actually finished all of the missions! \o/ I've just got a few odds and sods to do and I'll have totally completed it. Once again its been yet another reason why my DS was such a great buy.
I'm hoping all the snow has come to an end as I must get myself down our allotment. My boyfriend went down last week to empty our compost bin of kitchen scraps and its apparently looking good. I've also bought some Nasturtium seeds today. I'm hoping to put them in the trough on the balcony and down the plot. I know they will probably go wild but they have such pretty flowers.

February

I lost track of time for a bit then so haven't posted anything for about two weeks. Oooops.
Not much has been going on the last couple of weeks. I finished reading How to be Idle. That was a good read and I enjoyed it. It was probably because it was quite good for the soul to read something that says doing nothing is good and that actually promotes guilt-free time off. I would definitely recommend it, not just to workaholics but to anyone that struggles to sit still and relax. Some of it I found a bit idealistic and not entirely practical but I liked the fact that he he acknowledges that. I would also whole heartedly agree with the concept that work costs money and cutting down on work doesn't mean you'll necessarily be giving up on your quality of life. I cut down to 30 hours a week last April and it was one of the best things I did :)
I've started reading A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian and so far I'm really enjoying this. It reminds me a little of A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. It has a similar wit to it.
I've taken up another craft swap on CO&K, I am making 12 Inchies to send out. I'd never heard of Inchies until a week ago but basically, from what I can gather, they are inch squared pieces of fabric which you decorate through stitching and using buttons, beads, anything else. I've got a couple on the go at the moment. The theme of them is 'springtime'.
I also finally sent of the Sweet/Candy Swap to Kira in the US and have recieved hers. It was packed full of yummy sweeties from the US including Reeces Cups, which I love :P.
Finally I got to have a trip out to the Hare Krishna Temple, just outside of Watford on Friday and had a really nice time. The grounds were so peaceful and must look amazing when everything is flowering. We also got a brief tour of the temple and saw people making up the flower garlands which get put on the idols first thing in the morning (apparently 4.30am) and we saw prayer time. I also brought some snacks from the shop and we were given some yummy sweets when we left. Although I'm not religious there were a few things that really struck me about the temple and their philosophy. Firstly they seem to take the view that everyone has value and something to contribute no matter what their age, disability, background, etc and rather than just say it we actually saw it in practice. Also everyone seemed so at peace and friendly.

Fishy Wishies

I had my first ever visit to the London Aquarium last week and it was lovely. So calming just watching the fishes swim around and do their thing. The sharks were a little on the scary side but I am pleased to say that I managed the Shark Walk, where you walk over one of the shark tanks on thick, reinforced glass. Initially I was worried that all my sweetie eating would be my undoing and I'd crash through the glass into some sharks waiting mouth but this didn't happen :) Phew! Although they're not exactly pleasing on the eye there is something oddly fascinating about them. Luckily there were no enormous sharks like those you see on telly but they were still sharky enough for me :)
I'm also having a bit of any experiment at the moment with some tartan fabric I picked up ages from the YMCA Charity shop. I only paid £2 and there was masses of it so I'm having a go at making some trousers out of it. I'm using an old pair of combats to make a pattern from and so far so good. I don't know how they're going to turn out but its a bit of fun and I quite like bigger projects. When I was younger I never had the patience to sew something bigger like clothing. I always used to get over excited and rush it so they didn't come out particularly well or very wearable. I'm quite happy now though to take it gently and I know that if I take my time the stitching will be stronger and look much better. I'll post a piccie if they turn out okay. I might even be brave and post one if they don't :)
I've also had my first go at Blanket Stitch. I found a tutorial in a sewing magazine I got ages ago and I tried it on a lion pin cushion I'm making for a swap. I quite like how its come out and might try using this again. At the moment I'm sewing on the lion's mane and thats proving to be a task and a half. I also keep finding little bits of yellow wool stuck to everything :)
I'm currently reading a couple of books at the moment - one on my DS at night - Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy and during the day I'm reading How To Be Idle by Tom Hodgekinson. Both quite readable although I haven't got into the first one properly yet. How to Idle is perfect train reading on my way to and from work and I'm pretty impressed how much I've got through already.

Todays Adventures

Spent today in Corfe. We travelled down on the steam train and it was really enjoyable. The train was extremely comfy, way better than any modern train, properly springy seats and separate little compartments with a table each. I thought we might end up at Hogwarts :)
When we arrived we had a yummy, cream tea with clotted cream and strawberry jam :P I could feel my arteries hardening but I didn't care as it was scrummy. We then went for a wander around Corfe Castle in an attempt to burn off the cream. Although we go to the castle every time we visit, we still enjoy the walk around and are always amazed at well in tact it is considering how old and how many wars its survived.
Yesterday was cool too. We started the day in Dorchester and v nearly got caught in a hail storm and then took a drive to Cerne Abbis to see the giant in the hillside. It took a while negotiating our way up the hill as it had rained so much the mud was like a paste, but we kind of got a view and he was very impressive. You'll also be pleased to know that he was unaffected by all the cold weather :D

Happy Friday :)

Continued our tradition of not celebrating Christmas but starting the day with a spot of malt loaf and a walk to Durlston Country Park. The weather was lovely and although the ground was a bit on the muddy side we enjoyed the views out to sea and seeing how the restoration work is going. Stopped to watch a robin for ages and almost tempted him over a couple of times with raisins but unfortunately several loud groups scared him away both times.
Did some food shopping yesterday so probably going to have a yummy vegi stew for dinner tonight.
My family still celebrate Christmas so I bought them all pressies and got pressies back from them. We opened them the day before driving down though and got some great gifts. I'm wearing my knitted, fleecy slippers right now and they have been worn pretty much constantly since I got them. They're great and so cosy :)
I'm finally getting into White Fang now, although its a pretty dark story. Its the tale of a wolf cub and his mother and, although its beautifully written, they go though some pretty tough times and he nearly dies a few times either through starvation or at the hands of another animal. I've just reached the bit in the book where he's now living in a native American reservation and he's having to learn how to be part of a big pack.

Brrrr

Its a bit on the cold side at the mo so I've got the heating on full blast and considering a nice cup of chai to keep my fingers from freezing to the keys.
Went to Leeds Castle on Thursday for the first time. Its an amazing castle, extremely cool. It absolutely peed with rain for most of the day but that didn't stop us having a good look around the castle, having a lovely cream tea in the restaurant and visiting the gift shop.
Sold some of my earrings at the craft fair I was at the other week :) I was extremely chuffed about this. Its a great feeling seeing someone wearing something that you made. I sold 2 pairs of rainbow drop earrings and my lavender star ones.
I've also stunned myself as I've been very organised and now finished all of my Christmas shopping. I pretty much stayed in budget which was good and have even bought my Secret Santa pressie for work. I just need to wrap everything and post them.
I've also been crafting away making things for the favourite animal swap. I need to get a move on though as I thought I'd be finished by now but I've been a bit stumped by the idea of making a lion and something lemury. My swap partner likes both. I've made quite a few butterfly related bits and bobs and thats been pretty easy. I hope she likes what I've made. She's making butterfly, bat and cat related stuff for me. I can't wait to see what she comes up with. The bat Kiddo made for me in one of the other swaps lives by my bed :)