Blooming Balls!!!

Isn't it wonderful this little world of blogging??? I recently had an order from the lovely Sarah at Blooming felt for a beach hut cushion for her friend who had bought a Beach Hut called....

The cushion was duly completed....

... including bucket and spade

... and was packed up......

... and sent off... with huge anticipation on my part... Thankfully it was loved by all and as a little thank you, Sarah from......

... popped a fantastic bag of felt balls in the post to me..... and I couldn't wait to have the opportunity to start playing with them....

Well... that day arrived today and I have had such fun... I have felt really inspired and came home so happy!!! Isn't it amazing how one small thing can make such a big difference? Just having something new to play with has released the creativity in me... just like when I buy new fabric, even though every cupboard and drawer is already bursting at the seams with fabric, having something new generates new ideas and enthusiasm.!

So... here is a little peek... ok, a long drawn out peek (cos I'm so pleased with them)... at what I made today!

A bead and ball tigertail necklace... just right for the summer...

Another summery necklace....

... scrummy green and pink felt balls, buttons and crochet beads.....

... and a fluttery butterfly!

I think this one is definitely my favourite.. I just love pink and green together... what do you think?

Purple and green... another favourite combination....

This is a mixture of green and purple felt balls, glass beads, silver spacers, oval and circle hammered chain and buttons.

I love these two necklaces... they make me giggle... they are such fun....

A coloured felt ball is wired to a ceramic daisy and then a small dangle of matching beads has been added... FAB!

What about this beauty.... a fun, funky, button and ball bracelet....

Perfect to wear with any outfit this summer... every colour included!!

Some button and ball flowers.....

Knobbly bobbly earrings......

Lapel pins... large.....

... and small.....

What do you think of this cute ring....?

... made with a lime green button, a purple felt ball and some silver plated wire....

Nearly there.... a kilt pin with charms.....

.... glass beads and felt balls......

Last, but definitely not least...... two funky brooches.....

... both made using a ceramic daisy and a felt ball.....

Such fun!

I hope you have enjoyed this peek at my making today and that I have not bored you too much with my enthusiasm!! I have just had so much fun and I wanted to share it with you... and hopefully inspire you to have a go!

I hope that your day has been filled with creativity and fun. Till the next time... enjoy the lovely sunshine xxxx

p.s

Don't forget that if you see something you would like, please feel free to email me for details, or if you would like an item in another colourway, just let me know!

A perfect summers evening....

After a long day at work, head down making jewellery whilst at China Blue... where, incidentally, the glass blower has now started blowing glass, the furnace is raging and I am melting(!!!) ... what could be better than an invite from lovely friends to join them for the evening.

Into my (newish) little car I jumped and drove through those gorgeous Devon lanes towards Torbay... the home of sand, beach huts, grockles (holiday makers to you and me)... and of course Torbay palms....

... to my friends garden where.... the sun was beating down from a clear blue sky, grasses were gently swaying in the breeze.....

... water was splish splashing it's way over the pebbles....

... and the water lilies were about to burst... are you there yet... can you imagine it??

A glass of wine was forced (!!!) into my hands

... and the barbeque was well on it's way...... tikka chicken, sausages, bbq duck, new potatoes and burgers... what a feast...

Flaming hot!!!! ...

... and something I've not seen before ... a smokey smoker..... the smell of the applewood sawdust smoking away was amazingly wonderful... (only downside was that I came home smelling like I'd been sitting in the smoke house myself!!!)....

yup, it's definitely smoking!!!

... lift up the lid though and ta dah..... smoked chicken... just look at that colour, and the taste, well, it was to die for! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

Sorry... no pics of the table laden with all that scrumptious food... too keen to get tucked in, and what a meal it was... yum, yum ,yum......!

To sit outside in the garden and chat and laugh with good friends, to admire the garden, to eat well and relax is my kind of evening

... and as the evening drew to a close and the light began to fade, the candles are lit in the trees...

Reluctantly, it was time to head for home, but not without stopping at the top of the hill to take a few more photos for you to savour....

This spot has to be one of the best view points in Paignton.... you can see right across the bay towards Brixham, the pier at Paignton and the vast expanse of ocean spread out before you....

... what a spot to sit and dream......

One final farewell before hopping back into Bobbin ( my little car)... yes, that's her sat waiting patiently for me to return.... to trundle back through the lanes to home sweet home......

Perfect xxxx

Hopefully you can now see the photos I took... sorry, I didn't realise most of them were missing..

Enjoy xx

Devon Lanes....

Two weeks ago, on the bank holiday Monday, I had a wonderful walk through some gorgeous Devon lanes and I was prompted by a certain person (Nina) to show my pics as we both walked the same path within a day of each other!...... If you've never walked Devon lanes, you've missed a treat! They are a place where I find my soul being restored and my spirits lifting. I love the rambleyness (not a real word I know but, there's really no other way to describe them!!) of the hedges and banks, the mixture of colours and textures and the sheer abundance of plants and wildlife...

So, let us begin....

We start at a typical Devon village, a few miles from home, called Cornworthy. After walking through the village and up to the church you turn off the road and into a 'green lane'.....

What a way to begin a walk... the anticipation begins.... and I'm not disappointed....

Notice the colour of the soil here... we have pinky red sheep here as the colour is so strong. Many of the cliffs around the coast are also red in colour

I couldn't resist a picture of this chocolate box cottage... isn't it beautiful? I allowed myself to dream for a while and imagine myself living in this charming cottage... cat nestled up on the hearth in front of the aga... the smell of baking filling the house, cottagy plants of every variety spilling out of every flower bed .... ahhhhhhh!!!

The hedgerow plants are just bursting with life......

... aren't foxgloves amazing? ... just look at that detail

Looking back you get a glimpse of the church standing proud and tall overlooking the village of Cornworthy.

A typical Devon bank.... I love them. Not only do you find them lining either side of a green lane, they also adorn the edges of our lovely little lanes... and when I say little, I mean little.. imagine a single track road with 7 or 8 feet tall hedges either side, just bursting with colour, and just the odd passing place... you really have to be good at reversing when you live in Devon....!!

All of a sudden the narrow green lane ends and the vista opens up... and there is the river Dart... What a fab place to camp... right on the rivers' edge...

... looking back up the river towards another little village called Stoke Gabriel...

Time to climb one of many little stiles....

Isn't this beautiful and so typically English?

The path then follows the river but is nestled in between beautiful Beech trees....

This dappled shade is gorgeous.....

Can you hear the birds singing and the leaves rustling..... peep through the trees to catch glimpses of the river.... stop a while and drink it in.....

Blossoming hedgerows.....

... over the stile....

... and out by the river again...... I was looking out for Ratty and Moley all the way!!!

River peeps....

A few small obstacles on the way....!

A wander through a field full of buttercups......

... a meander down a tree lined path....

... and you're suddenly next to the river at a riverside village called Tuckenhay (a couple of great pubs there if you've got time for a munch!)

.... Just look at this house.... 'Yes', I was dreaming yet again... how lovely would it be to have this view everyday? ... I was planning where my studio would be... overlooking the river of course. What inspiration!!!

Oh, but this one is gorgeous too.... now I'm torn! Which one would you choose?

Ah yes, I forgot... there's my little boat moored up too... ready for a Swallows and Amazons adventure!

The candles are lit on the conker trees...

Reluctantly, I pull myself away from my dreaming and move on... up the steps and over yet another stile...

... and up a VERY steep hill..... but, just look at this view... right over the village and the meandering river... I had plenty of time to admire this view as I collapsed in a heap at the top!

Moving on, and here is a typical Devon view....

... down another hedge lined green lane....

... bursting with life....

... final glimpses of the river.....

... and back to the countryside of Cornworthy....

I hope you have enjoyed this little walk and that is has whetted your appetite for a visit to Beautiful Devon.... Let me know when you're coming... I'll dig out the maps and walking boots and join you!