Thankyou so much for so many encouraging comments on my recent posts. I’ve been making new things in the last weeks so it’s absolutely invaluable to have feedback like this. I don’t always manage to thank everyone after every post but I appreciate it each and every time someone takes a few minutes to have a peep here!

I nearly called this post ‘repurposing’ but I decided that the wonderful transformations of fabric items going on around blogland usually involves a change of function:: pillow case into pinny, tablecloth into frock, duvet cover into pyjama bottoms, me into a grumbly sausage -  coveting the finished items and serious thrifty sewey skills. Here are just a few examples.

My version is a little simpler, a little less astonishing:

Fairly promising beginnings - little vintage silver lockets.

Add some tiny silver flowers I’ve been making,

and some other little somethings - moonstones, little shells, crystals, teeny tiny freshwater pearls.

Result:

some new necklaces for sale on my stall here,

this coming Sunday and Monday.

Failing that they will be waiting patiently here. A new lease of life? I’m hoping so.

It’s been about six weeks since we were at the seaside. I have acute withdrawal symptoms, and much as I love reading Jeanne at Talesfromacottagegarden‘’s Monday poems, a couple of weeks ago she posted ‘Sea Fever’ by John Masefield. It increased the desire to return to the Suffolk coast- around tenfold. To ease the longing for seagulls and sand,

I raided my stash,

and found some raffia.

I twiddled for a while whilst the girls either slept or played.

Every vintage bandstand chair needs a necklace,

…and every little girls willow wigwam (maturing nicely this year) needs some decoration.

I also used a shard of victorian porcelain found whilst gardening. I have a stash of these too!

I think it’s a garland, or perhaps beachy bunting. Whatever it is it eased the coastal pangs and made me feel…

…smiley.

Here’s a little work in progress. To give you an idea of scale the ‘beach ball’ is 1cm in diameter. It’s part of my childhood marble collection.

What’s caught little P’s attention?

She seems to have something in her bug viewer.

She’s giving the tomato plants the ultimate spa treatment.

Would you like a magazine Mr Plant?

The mobile biological agents actively seek out the factors that diminish plumpness and can cause ageing, and……..eat them.

Tomatoes. Because…

…they’re worth it.

Following the nightingale and the barnacles I have a plan to make more little wildlife films and post them here (if you don’t all get too bored with my nerdiness that is). Here’s something blue for you:

Chalkhill blue butterfly on knapweed, Devil’s Dyke, 3rd August

This knapweed was attracting butterflies and bees like some Michelin-starred restaurant with rave reviews. There was literally a little cloud of butterflies constantly on the move around it.

Nature’s the best relaxation for me.  After I put the girls to bed I go for a walk along the Devil’s Dyke and wind down. Recent nature sightings there have included a barn owl hunting, grey partridges and hares. It’s a strange mix of feelings though - a huge internal sigh when I get out there, and then a giddy high when I see something unusual or unexpected. Heady, obsessive stuff.

Talking of obsessions, I’ve received an Obsession award from Terry over at The Nature of Woodpeckers. Terry’s is the first nature blog I’ve come across - to share the nerdery is a joy - the same joy as sharing the craftiness. Many thanks Terry.

I have to name five of my current obsessions. This is a breeze:

Painted lady on our verbena bonariensis, shot by Mr P, 3rd August

1. The ‘n’ word.

2. The ‘b’ word. You know the one.

3. The ’s’ word.

4. The ‘f’ word, particularly PIE.

5. The Ps.

That’s it. I needn’t elaborate. Pick up the obsession baton if you choose x

Edit: Missing from number 4 is the ‘c’ word (chocolate).

This is my favourite flower form.

Each one is like a little firework. Some of the humblest wildflowers are umbels (’umbles?), from pignut and cow parsley to wild carrot, hogweed and ground elder (shown above).

My bronze fennel has been a favourite hoverfly watering hole for weeks.

The explosive yet simple umbel shape has been an inspiration for many.

Lucienne Day’s ‘Calyx’

I rarely get time to explore the designs crowding my own head at the moment but this summer’s umbel flowers have been shouting at me to make something. My enamel skills are still developing and I’m currently working on getting the consistency of the suspension right when I apply it to the clay. I don’t always succeed.

I’ve started with an agapanthus - a rather showy flower but one that reminds me of Cornwall. Mine is beautiful at the moment.

It’s very far from perfect but I’m getting there with this.

There’ll be more umbels to come I expect. An elderflower might be next.