We've fallen out again !

It's my birthday today so I've enjoyed a nice cuppa and toast in bed (well Boo polished off most of the toast), followed by what I thought would be a lovely tromp in the woods with Archie.
Hah ! Not so ....

This is where he started his hunt ... see all that bramble and undergrowth ? Well, Archie is in there somewhere. I promise you, I could hear him crashing through it. Whistle ? Did no good. Voice command ? Nope, that didn't work either. Not even when I screamed ' Archie you little toad, if you don't come back now I'm going home without you !!!!


This is the tree I hid behind to scare him into staying close to me. At home he has to be where I am, even as far as sitting outside to the loo ! But, outside, in all those lovely bunny and wildlife scents it's a different story.


This is the gap I was expecting him to appear at. Nope !


This is Archie bombing back to me after, Ooh, about 6 minutes of self rewarding hunting. Bad. Very Bad. Very, very Bad.
Look, he's laughing again isn't he ?


Finally got him under control but that's cos he's knackered and panting like a train.


" Think I'd better lie down for a bit, I'm a bit tired " .... Oh really ? Well, tough bloody titties. Get up we're going home, on lead, you've spoilt it for yourself now. End of walk young man !


" Just a bit longer, not quite got my breath back yet ... "


" I'll just have one more laugh at you, if that's OK mum ? "

Archie is now asleep at my feet, exhausted after his escapade, as if all is well in his Doggy World.

Me ? I'm OK, I've counted to 10 and had two shortbread fingers ...

I AM A STUPID WOMAN !!

Repeat after me ...

STUPID WOMAN !!!!!

I have blogged but saved it to the wrong blog. I am a stupid woman ..
Please go take a peek as I can't be arsed to do it all over again on here.

Blogged here instead ..........

At flippin last ...

(Dartmoor Pony Pencil Study)

Blimey, it's been a nightmare trying to upload images. I kept getting the spinning wheel of DEATH !
Anyhoo, blogger suddenly decided to work. Hurrah ! But now it's underlining all my text.
WHY ????? I'm having to use the eraser on the text to get rid of the lines.

I was rummaging around in the garage yesterday and came across a box tucked away right at the back with all sorts stacked on top. Intrigued, I opened it to find some old drawings and paintings from way back when.

(Watercolour of my first Springer Spaniel, Sam)

I painted this when I was just 17 years old, it's now 28 years old ... quick if you do the sums you'll work out that I am in fact 'twelfty' years old ;-)
Sam died when he was just 7 years old, cruelly cut down in his prime by cancer. He was a very special boy and it was he who started my love affair with Springers.

(I don't think so little man ... Get Down. And I don't care if you've brought me your bone)

And, Ooh look ... here's another one. He is not as noble as Sam, in fact he's a little toad. I love him to bits, honest I do, but he's in my bad books tonight cos he ate one of my Fairy Godmothers.
He snuck her out into the garden, chucked her about a bit, pulled out her stuffing, covered her in mud and then cooly came back into my studio, laid down quietly at my feet and nonchalanty looked up at me ...
With HER in his mouth !
The cheek of him. Ooh, I was soooooo cross as she was destined, together with 9 other Godmothers, for a Macmillan Coffee morning sale on Friday.

He has also taken to sitting on my chair whenever I get up. Talk about jumping in my grave.

(You're no fun mum. I brought you a present and everything)

(Ok, Ok .... I'm off to dig a hole in the lawn then. Or maybe I'll rip up a slipper ~ like I did yesterday)

Oh Yes, he had one of my slippers in the garden yesterday. Completely mauled it to death (it was an animal print design.

The beginnings of some Diddy Dolly Key Fobs. All finished now and well out of reach of a certain naughty Springer puppy dog.

Uploading Photo's

Anyone else having trouble before I contact Blogger ?

Dots and Doodles ...

Archie was a tiredy little man this morning as we did some training ... partly to keep him away from the bunnies and squirrels in the woods and partly because he's so well in himself he's being a little arse and not listening to me ! Time to give him some more tough love ...

Anyhow, we had a lot of fun with his dummies and he got rid of a lot of pent up energy, hence the doodle above. He was curled up lying on his bed quietly snoring away (typical man) looking so sweet (as if !) so I thought I'd dust of my drawing pen and doodle him.

His nose is not right, too square ~ but not bad considering I haven't picked up a drawing pen or pencil for absolutely yonks and yonks.


I've revisited my old friend the 'Huggly', OK, so he's been revamped a little. His ears are more rounded and he's grown a tail too, but essentially the same. This particular one is made from lovely soft flannel with dotty applique detail. He has the same dotty fabric on the back.

I'm in the middle of making three more commission 'Princess and the Pea's and I also have a pile of Fairy Godmother worry dolls and Diddy Dolly Key Fobs that need finishing.
Anyone got any Elves I can borrow ?

Look at this, go on, just look at it ...

THAT IS MY SLIPPER !!!!!!

The little toad (otherwise known as Archibald) snuck it out into the garden, tried to bury it by the looks of it, obviously gave up and so brought it back indoors for me.
AND I hoovered today.
The carpet now resembles the sodding Grand National Course

AFTER THE RACE HAS BEEN RUN !

He's laughing isn't he ? Can you see that smirk ? He's laughing so much his eyes are closed ...

I want to tell you a story ...

But first can I just show you my latest commission. Yep, another 'Princess'. I am very flattered this design is so popular, it makes all the hard work and fiddlyness worth it. And the lady who commissioned this particular picture is a very nice lady indeedy.

The brief was to make the picture as PINK as possible. It is very pink but in quite a subtle way I hope. The bed posts are 100% wool felt as I can't stand that scratchy, itchy cheap fake felt. She has french knot detail in her hair and I've also stitched a couple of pearly sequins into the stars this time for a bit of sparkly'ness. Ah, lovely ...


And talking of lovely .... I found this wonderful little book in the charity shop yesterday. Now, I love children's books, but I especially love children's books with meaningful stories with especially beautiful illustrations. And I especially love Horses.

Let me introduce you to 'The Story of Ted' .

(Isn't this just an adorable image ?)

Based on a real Clydesdale Foals experience, this book was a real joy to read with Boo. It's a little bit sad at the beginning but Ted does have a very happy ending. In real life Ted was very poorly suffering from Pneumonia and a tummy blockage. At one point he only had a 50/50 chance of surviving til daybreak and his lovely Vet spent 48hrs with him.



Written by the lady and her 12 year old daughter who saved him from the sale when he was only 12 weeks old, it's an emotional and informative book telling the reader all about the Clydesdale breed. A written dedication is also a lovely touch.


Just beautiful illustrations ...


Ted has his own website, www.thestoryofted.com I haven't looked at it in detail yet so I don't know how up to date it is but it looks very interesting and Boo can't wait to see that Ted is now all growd up and happy !

I think Ted will be a very popular Christmas present this year. A DVD of Ted's story is also mentioned on his website.

"The Story of Ted will touch your heart and teaches everyone that humility is one of life’s most precious gifts"

Who's that hiding ...

Where did that come from ? The sunshine I mean ... It's scorchio at the moment, really lovely out there. I've been stitching away today but have just been out in the garden to see whether it was as warm as it looks. And it is .....

And look who i found hiding in the Hibiscus. She must have escaped while I was wasn't looking.


Once the little Fairy Godmother saw me she quickly tried to hide but those bright blue wings are a bit of a giveaway. I reckon she was out there enjoying the sunshine and sprinkling some TURBO glitter on Archibald.

So much for him having to be careful of his stitches. He has been completely mental since his plumbs removal last Friday. A complete whirlwind on legs. The wind has really got up his tail today, he even snapped his retractor lead this morning because he was so desperate to run and hunt. He's supposed to have no free running exercise for another day or so, so we are in for some fun when he finally gets off the lead !


His trusty pal 'Mr Octopus' has had a very hard time this afternoon ...

Poor Mr Octopus, shaken to bits ...


Just a bit more running mum and then I'm done, promise !?@*


This is our bit of sky this afternoon. Lovely eh ? Long may it last too.

New Key Fobs and Bag Charms ...

Just a quicky post to show you something new ...

How about a diddy 'Smiley Girl' (sorry, that's as good as it's gonna get until I can think of another name) to look after your keys or brighten up a handbag ? I've made some mini versions of my little 'Fairy Godmother' comforts, minus the wings, to attach to whatever you fancy ...

Maybe even a pair of earings or, ahem, tassles ... you know the sort of tassles I mean !


I think they'll look quite nice and unique as a little accessory so I plan to make a bunch for my Macmillan Sale at the end of the month. Hopefully people will like them ?

And this dear friends is my Archie, looking pretty glum last night ... minus a pair of plumbs.
Yes, I had to have him done. I've been putting it off but that's the deal with taking on an RSPCA rescue, and that's fair enough by me.

He wasn't too impressed when he got home but he's firing on all engines today. And there was me thinking I'd have a lovely quiet day to get on and work. Hubby was doing a 70 mile cycle challenge, Boo is feeling under the weather and just wanted to snuggle and watch her DVD's and I was expecting Archie to be quieter and want to sleep. Perfect working conditions.

You must be joking ! He is a Springer Spaniel after all.

1. He's been trying to jump on my lap whilst I've been trying to sew
2. He's had his head in my sewing bin countless of times, emptying and trying to eat the contents
3. He's dragged my Pilates ball out into the garden and punctured it whilst chucking it up in the air.
4. He got through the hedge and was running up and down between the hedge and fence next door
5. He's found some chicken bones - hence a chase round the garden after him
6. Got on a scent in the garden and had a 5 minute 'Mental' chasing an invisible cat or bunny
7. Constantly bringing me balls, toys, nylabones and Mr Octopus ... all in the hope of a play

I think he's feeling much better don't you ? He's restricted to 5 days of lead exercise only this week. Hah ! His poor sister has had an op on her foot and she's been laid up for 5 weeks. She's like a coiled spring so I ought to be grateful for only 5 days of hell.

Archie ... I'm sorry my little man but they had to come off. They were only little plumbs so you shouldn't miss em too much ;')

I've been re-visiting my brushes ...

For the first time in absolutely YONKS ! and it felt Great ...

OK, so it's not my usual watercolour painting but I'm game for a bit of a change. I bought some fabric paints today, just as a bit of an experiment you understand. I've fancied having a go at painting on fabric for quite a while now and as usual, whatever I do seems to be more intensive than anticipated.

Maybe I'm just a perfectionist, maybe I'm just stupid and make more work for myself ????

I've always, always, always, doodled eyes. Don't ask me why. I wouldn't be able to tell you. It's generally just the one eye. Sometimes I'll doodle two but not very often.

I wonder if a professional doodle decipherer (is that such a word?) would be able to tell me why ?
I'd be fascinated to know why ...

I really should get back into my painting but that'll have to wait as I am drowning in 'Princess and the Pea' textile picture commissions. Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic, I'm chuffed to bits, but I am going to be really, really busy and I fear that I'll be dreaming about green peas for evermore.