Sunshine and inspiration.

Last week the wonderful weather had to be enjoyed. I spent as much time as I could in the garden,I read alot or simply looked at all the flowers and new growth( I should perhaps have pulled up some weeds but just didn't). I worked for a couple of hours on my quilt and one morning suddenly made these 3 cuffs. I have been lacking enthusiasm and inspiration a lot lately,this morning I read the blog written by Sharon over at The Shabby Chic Bohemian and felt it was so true for me too. I looked at the pile of small unfinished work,then played with them a while ,cut up some some and reassembled bits together. The results were interesting because it had made me group different colours together,ones I wouldn't usually mix. Then I looked at an old painting I have and now I am planning to make a fabric piece based on it.

Wild cats and a fabric doll

I am pleased I have finished this doll and have decided I shall stop even thinking about another one for a while. A friend visited yesterday and wanted to take a look at all the quilts I have made over the years, we counted 16 in all not including the ones I have given away.It made me realise how I have slipped into must get it done mode and I have been avoiding doing all the more complex machine embroidery I used to love doing, for a long long time. I have had one fairly simple unfinished quilt in my workroom for months now and am going to work on it. I will make some fabric cards and maybe some pages for a journal if I need a break from the quilt because I can usually do those things in a fairly short time.
I smiled when I saw the two wild cats sitting on the table in the garden, they look so sweet but in fact along with the other 4 maybe 5 wild cats they terrorise our house cats. Daisy 's fur is falling out more and more and neither of them like to go out unless one of us is with them. We know they are hungry and we feel sad for them but they are a problem.Here in France its a huge problem as not many people think to have cats spayed ,hence the large number of them.

A busy week

This week, probably because the sun has shone sometimes and shown up quite a few cobwebs to say the least, I have cleaned and cleared lots of cupboards. The amount I managed to let go of was amazing,I felt pleased with myself for being so determined. The other bonus came when I went through many of the boxes etc in my workroom. I found an unbelievable amount of useful or pretty things I hadn't seen for years!!
Its as if I have had a huge shopping spree.
So all I have made this week are two fabric cards. When I look out of the windows I can see yellow and green every where, it seems as if all the spring flowers have come at once so I chose those colours for the cards.One I have already given away but I shall keep the one posted. Perhaps next winter it will remind me spring does eventually come.

My efforts at making fabric doll faces this week

I have nearly finished another doll but in spite of hours making faces don't know if I will choose one I have made or carry on making some more.
I tried and tried to follow instructions and sculpt a face but the results were hopeless so resorted to flat faces again.
I realise I need to be shown how to do it, I always had problems following patterns.

With all the dreadful things happening in the world I am very grateful to live here in this beautiful part of France and to have our wood to wander in and watch all the wildlife we have.The duck seems happy (even though he can't fly and find himself a mate)to swim about with the moorhens and water rats. We also have an eagret recently arrived but no sign of any kingfishers. The tree that was felled in the summer has been completly sawn into manageable chunks and is safely away drying out ready for next winter.

My fabric book is finished except for assembling , I need help so have to wait until Tony has time to sort me out.

My Fabric doll

I have spent days trying to get this dolls face right. The first one I made I used pastel pencils and was quite pleased with it,then I smudged it and she looked as though she had a bruise by her nose. So I made another and another and another until I had made 9 more. Trouble was I still prefered the first one and thought I'd try and erase the mark. It was difficult but now it doesn't show in the photo only when I actually look closely at her can I still see it. I have begun another one and will use some of the lace and material I bought this morning at the flea market Tony and I went to. I came home elated because I found a 1930's Almanach, some pretty old lengths of lace and two beautiful lace collars. The dolls skirt is made with material I bought last week at another flea market. I always protest when I have to get up very early to go and often try to find excuses not to ,though if I don't go I feel quilty letting Tony go alone. The truth is I rarely come home empty handed and Tony usually finds amazing things to put on his internet auction site so why I protest I don't know.Plus today Tony bought me a wonderful bust of a little girls head to add to my collectoin, it was a lovely surprise to find when we went back to the car to come home.