Blog award from Paula and bear giveaway!!

Hi Folks!
Just a short blog to say a big thanks to Paula for the above blog award and for her kind words too.
I now have to say where I would like to be in ten years time!!!
Well at my age - alive and healthy is good enough for me! But I suppose other than that I would like to be in a position to share what I have with those that I love and those that need me!!

Several of the folk I would like to pass this on to have already been mentioned and I guess Wipso will do others I know.
So, being sensible, I am just going to mention a new blog friend who I met in real life this week.

Tina of Silver Footprints blog has just opened her new shop in Montgomery - see the link at the bottom of the last post. I am sure Indigo Moon will be a big success and she will certainly be "going places!" So Tina - I pass this blog award to you!! Maybe you have 10 people who you would like to pass your award on to.

Also check out this gorgeous little bear here.

He is made by Cheryl at Bingle Bears and is her latest giveaway.

Look what I won!!

I entered a blog give-away by a talented lady in Scotland - Aileen Clarke. Lucky me!! I won this pretty little card.

Aileen's textile work is lovely and her blog has been a real source of inspiration for me.
She sells her work on Folksy-http://www.folksy.com/shops/AileenClarkeCrafts so if you want to see the fab things she makes then pop over and have a look.

She has produced a beautiful new range of hand-crafted cards and wanted to know which we prefered.

Well, I love this one - a perfect combination of greens and purples.

Thanks lots Aileen - I hope you sell loads and everyone loves them as much as I do!!

NOW - if you want to visit a gorgeous crafty gift shop nearer home then pop down to Montgomery and visit Indigo Moon. The lovely Tina has just opened her new shop and it is a delight!!

Follow the link http://silverfootprints.blogspot.com/2010/05/indigo-moon_29.html and have a sneaky peek.

A walk in the sunshine

It's a drab,wet day here today - so different from yesterday.

We decided to go for a walk after lunch whilst the sun was shining, so on went the walking boots and into my little green rucksack went a couple of apples, bottle of water, binoculars and my camera.

We walked up the lane and across the fields to Marrington Dingle. (Well no, actually we rambled around a bit and then hiked about a mile down the main road before dropping down into the Dingle.) The farm track drops down through forest, which is part of the Marrington Estate, to the River Camlad, which meanders through a beautiful little valley. (I think the Camlad is the only river that rises in Shropshire and flows into Wales)

I stopped on the bridge over the river to admire the view and spotted a stunning Grey Wagtail on a rock. It is actually grey and yellow and, thankfully, I could watch it for quite a while through my binoculars, as it was feeding on the insects over the river. A flash of turquoise caught my eye as a Kingfisher flew up the river towards me, turned, and zig-zagged away, skimming over the water. Wow!! They are such a fabulous irridescent colour it's hard to believe they are a british bird.

We walked on along the valley amongst the pink campion and wild comfrey. The purple and black Damsel flies flitted around the nettles and Orange Tip butterflies fluttered from flower to flower.

A Grey Heron flew up from the river, flapping slowly away with its long legs dangling and a large creamy brown buzzard circled above us making its characteristic mewing sound.

What a little oasis of beauty in that little river valley.

The rest of the walk was through Whittery Woods with its leafy oak trees and then on to the farmland back to Old Churchstoke and back home. About 6 miles, I think. My little feet were aching by the time I returned but well worth the effort!

I hope you like the photos - they never do it justice and of course the birds were too quick for me to snap!!

Old and new - WOYWW

Well, we have had another busy week with lots of crafty activity and fun.

On my desk you can see the gorgeous table linens and vintage mats which I bought at the local car boot. The fine, hand embroidered one at the top left is lovely - I just might keep that one as a little treasure. The rest of the white bits are just oddments and some are looking tatty so they will be used for crafting. I have already shared some with T. on our fun day Monday. I just love all the old hand made lace and crochet.

Now the crochet on the right is something else!!!!!

Wipso found a fab pattern on a friend's blogsite for African flowers and of course being the clever thing she is, she has made loads of scrumptious ones for a little blanket.

Now -I can crochet - nothing too fancy of course - so I thought I would give it a go - ha!!!

It took me four attempts to get one flower more or less right.

Then I was on a roll...lol.

I made four (there they are, above, all creamy pink and lilac). I thought I could give them to Wipso to add to her stash for the blanket.

Wrong!!!!!

When I took them to show her, I realised the error of my ways!! I used a size larger needle and mine turned out HUGE!! Well, at least it meant that I could see what I was doing and make sure the pattern was right. Unfortunately, there is no way they will fit with Wipso's so.......

Has anyone a good idea for using LARGE African flowers!!!

Apart from knitting and crochet, I have helped Wipso (she with the poorly eye). We have made hats and waistcoats - designing and making the patterns and then running them up together. We make a flippin' good team!!!
I have also added my latest "dumflings" to the blog shop and I am rather pleased with them. Pop over to Sisters Crafty Creations if you want to browse our shelves for cards, gifts, pictures etc.
So thats about it.......

Short and sweet today as I am going walking. Thanks for dropping in - lovely to hear from you - please leave a comment and hopefully, I will whiz round and visit all 120 WOYWWers over the next day or two.

If you want to join in with Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday then hop over to Julia's blog and have fun!

Short but sweet and lots to snoop - WOYWW

Just a quick blog today - a show and tell. Lots of crafty bargains for you to snoop at!!!!

I received a fab bag of wool from Kemps clearance sale yesterday so I popped it on my table for you to see. Mostly wool to knit cardis, shrugs etc for the tinies in the family. I also bought bargain packs of gorgeous little purl beads and some circular needles. On the window sill you can see a "knit a teddy pack" complete with wool, thread, needles and pattern for £1.99!!!

The rest of the goodies came from our local car boot sale. I am usually hopeless at spotting a bargain but have done well for fab crafty stuff recently.

So - check out ....

A large natural wood picture frame ( for one of my dumfy bird pics)

Two beautiful 54" wedding veils with embroidered/pearl trim - new with tags!!!

Lots and lots of superb canvas, linen and binca for our pictures.

Pretty embroidered hankies and a really lovely hand embroidered butterfly picture.

Beady bracelets which I will break up for beads etc.

Oh and at the front a little dumfling brooch, which I made on fun day Monday, for the blog shop.

If you want to join in with the blog snoop then pop over to Julia's blog and follow Mr Linky.

And last but not least - follow this link or scroll down to my earlier post to see what my nephew and niece have been up to - they are just a few pounds away from raising £1000 for Cancer Research -bless them!