Saturday 20 July 2013

Friday 19 July 2013

Bit of retail therapy (and more) - MrsL style

First stop of the afternoon was my wonderful tip - yielded a good haul as usual :)  3 books - an old household encyclopedia (not sure of date, possibly from beginning of 20thC,Women -An illustrated Treasury (paintings of women and quotes from women), Silk Dreams, Troubled Road (travel book).  next in the pot was a terracotta breadwarmer and a silver toast rack (destined for selling) , 4 wee teddies that I will remove the terrible clothing from and knit them wee Fair Isle sweaters and sell them too, a bamboo mat for felt making and a big box of gem tumbling equipment, complete with various stones, but requiring a motor (shouldn't be too hard to find) - all for the princely sum of £2!
I then went into the library intending to hire a film for the weekend, but came out with half a dozen books instead.* It's been so long since I've been in there, though, that my card wouldn't work, and I had to get a new one - books on making sausages, making all sorts of bread, feltmaking, watercolour painting, and Nigel Slater's Kitchen diaries.
Next stop was the garage for an ice lolly lol, before the doctor's appointment, which went better than I thought lol. Then it was on to the Co-op to do some shopping, bagged lots of reduced stuff and a small bottle of Jura malt whisky- my sort of shopping!
On sitting down with a much needed beer, I perused the Poultry & Livestock  section of our local paper - I'm off to pick up 8 new-to-me chickens on Sunday to replenish by badger ravaged stock. 
A thoroughly good haul I think :)


Should have gone to Specsavers - I picked up a free copy of what I thought was Nature Times, turns out it's Mature Times lol  No matter, I will still read it, do the prize crossword and make it inot fuel for the stove.  Free is good :)

 

It couldn't be done..................

 


By Edgar Albert Guest 1881–1959



Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
      But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
      On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
      At least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
      Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
      There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
      The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
      Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
      That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.
Share this text ...?

 

Thursday 18 July 2013

I like pretty things................

...........  especially lovely wee notebooks :)

 

Drying rose petals

Drying rose petals on the Rayburn; it's on 24 hours a day, so costs nothing to do so. The rack was acquired at the tip for a few pence a long time ago now, and has done sterling duty for my drying exploits.

 

Watercolour..............

Just arrived - a few new fresh tubes to add into my collection. Been far too long, looking forward to getting back into the watercolours.

Maiden, Mother, Crone...........

She is Maiden, Mother and Crone
In one…

You will recognize her because she
makes genuine eye contact with whomever she meets…
... She is not afraid to be direct and honest about how she feels

She charts her own course
And is willing to meet whatever comes
Because she has faith in her journey
She’s aware of her own strength

She delights in enabling the wellbeing and the empowerment of others
But she refuses to subject herself to energy drainers…
She sees through bullshit instantly
She knows how to protect herself

She is obedient to her own inner knowing,
She is willing to break the rules made by others
in order to be authentic to herself

Her truth comes directly through her heart
She uses her mind as the servant to manifest it

She is inwardly and outwardly aware
She responds more than she reacts
She no longer waters illusory drama
She no longer feels the need to control what is

She is deeply connected to her creative source
She is her own work of art in progress
She can create beauty from whatever is in front of her

She is in tune with her intuition and instinctual body
She lives in the present
Because she is willing to relinquish the past
And allow the future the space it needs to unfold

She understands that life is an ever changing flow from one moment to the next...
She willingly goes with it.

She feels deeply connected to the earth and stays close to nature,
She recognizes that she is not separate from it...
Being connected to nature is essential for her health and wellbeing

She has simplified her life
Released the non-essentials so that she can be spacious and free

She values her aloneness,
She waters her soul with it
But she also
values quality time with like minded souls

She doesn’t need a man to complete her
Her relationships are on an equal basis of respect and sharing
Unbridled sensual pleasure…

She has no time for gossip
She’s invested in raising the sisterhood up rather than cutting it down

She celebrates the beauty and power in other women
She celebrates the beauty and power within herself

She is just as willing to receive as she is to give
She fills her own cup for herself and overflows it for others

She understands the futility of unsolicited advice
So she shares her wisdom through living it

She envisions the healing of the world
She offers her gifts as a contribution towards it

Love is her religion
Unity is her gospel
Laughter is her grace

She loves to play through her inner child
Sing and dance through her inner maiden
She nurtures her body mind and spirit daily through her inner mother

Others seek her for her wisdom
Are irresistibly drawn to her unpredictable mystery

They feel seen and accepted in her steady gaze…
Peaceful in her sacred space

They are shocked by her irreverent humor
But secretly inspired, uplifted,
Given permission to be themselves

She is Maiden, Mother and Crone
In one
She is Goddess

Caroline de Lisser
 
 

 

Buying British...........

Been away from the blog for a few days arranging a funeral. part of this was doing the flowers, both for the coffin and the house. I was thrilled to bits to be able to buy British-grown flowers, which even had the grower's name on them, like the fruit and vegetables do in the supermarket. Just beautiful, and for all the work and expense taken to grow them, a very good price I reckon. Pleased that British flowers are now so easily available, and they knock spots off the scentless, intensively grown imported roses and such with their baggage of airmiles.  :)




 

Monday 15 July 2013

Sunday 14 July 2013

Little peg loom project

 
These pieces were made on a small 8 peg loom from rainbow coloured merino tops. I gave them a quick gentle fulling to keep the weave together, and it will be fulled again when they are made up into a small pouch bag.

Sew sew..............

It's been a long while since I did any dressmaking; I'd forgotten how enjoyable it is. I set to this afternoon to make a simple pair of trousers out of some very beautiful floral cotton I bought from e-bay along with a pattern for a dress. I originally decided to make a dress, but changed my mind just before cutting out, so I now have a pair of trousers completed bar the elastic, and the hemming. I'll enjoy the hemming as I love hand-sewing; the bottom leg hem is finished in a very pretty vintage blue bias binding just for something a bit different - will post a pic of that when they're completed. Have a zillion sewing ideas in my head now, ofcourse!