Snookery Crafts

After The Gales

After having two days of gales, I knew it would be a good time to go beach combing.  You just never know what might get washed up.  On getting to my favourite place, the beach certainly had been landscaped.  The shingle had been moved right up the beach and there was more driftwood and even 2 red buoys.  You have to be quick to get the best bits as I found out!!!  There was quite a nice tree root and on thinking I would pick it up on the way back, found that as I turned around it was being carried down the beach by two other people!!

However, I did find this tree!!!  My husband just gave me a look as if to say, "your mad".  However my daughter was more helpful and so I ended up taking off some of the roots, putting it in a tub filled with stones and wrapped solar lights around the branches.  Looking forward in seeing it lit up later.

There are times when being creative can take you down roads that you never expected.  Very happy.

Snookery Walks in the Sun

Beach Walks

Living near the beach (about 4 miles away) is wonderful and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Here in the South of England, just opposite the Isle of Wight makes me feel very blessed.  You have Southampton Water to the right, where you see many liners, tankers, yachts and little boats as well as the kite surfers and various other water sports and activities happening.  Then away in the distance to the left would be Portsmouth.

 

There is nothing like walking along the beach and beach combing.  You just never know what you may find.  

We had such lovely weather a few weeks ago, it almost felt like summer had arrived.  

There is a bird sanctuary a bit further down the beach and a lovely little harbour for the boats.

Hoping to have time to find some bits here again, I'm running out of drift wood and there are craft fairs coming up.

  

Snookery Travels - London Greenwich

Easter 2015

Easter is always a busy time for us with the drama, in fact I don't think we (husband and I) have been home for it for quite a few years.  However, there are times staying in certain places that end up being a bit of a treat and so it was this Easter.  

Cutty Sark

We were put up in a hotel in Greenwich, London, which is a lovely town to explore.  Our work schedule on two of the day's was in the evenIngs, so we had a couple of days to do as we wished.  

Greenwich is where the time line runs from and has a lovely time museum with many old clocks, then there is the Maritime Museum and also the Cutty Sark in dry dock as well as the Thames River running by.  One of my favourite places here is the market which is over a hundred years old under a glass roof and small quirky shops surrounding it. Here many crafters, collectors and food stalls sell their wares and it's great to have a look around and buy something special. 

My Husband

As we arrived at the market this time, we were in for a shock.  No longer is it being kept as it is, but half of it was pulled down with the other half to follow later on.  The council had decided to update it as it had been there for 100yrs and wanted to make sure it lasted another 100yrs.  I noticed straight away that a verse of scripture on the wall overlooking the market was no longer there.  I guess it probably won't be going back up again as it comes from a different era than today!!  I look forward in seeing how it is finally finished.

Looking towards The Shard

Our best find this time was noticing the boat trips you could go on up the Thames.  What a bargain too.  If you are ever in Greenwich, do go on one.  £8 each return from Greenwich to Westminster. 

London Bridge

Tower of London

It stops at London Bridge on the way, you can get off if you wish and see the Tower of London and then catch another boat to Westminster.  

We got off at Westminster, having gone past The Shard, Tower of London, London Eye and various bridges.  About 45 mins each way and a great relaxing way to take photos too. 

 

It was a lovely day and we really enjoyed it.  If we do this again, I think I will visit the Aquarium right next to the London Eye.

Travels

Snookery Travels in February

In the course of my travels, there are times when I just so happen to come upon a surprise, which is what happened a couple of years ago.  We had travelled to N. Ireland with the drama that my husband and I do full time.  During some free time, we happened to be walking along the sea front by the beach just above Belfast in a little town called Carrickfurgus.  I so wanted to go back to this place while we were nearby in February, and so with husband in tow we endeavoured to do so.

We came across a little Courtyard, set back from the sea front where inside there were a few shops selling yarns and crafts etc., a wonderful cafe, but also a very tiny studio where a man was painting and selling his paintings.  It was here I discovered Thomas Joseph who paints so many of the whimsical designs of sheep and other farm characters with funny captions, set again the Scottish highlands, many of which have also been printed on cards.  He is known world wide for these lovely novelty pictures.  But not only does he do these, he has some amazing serious paintings of  the countryside and seascapes.  The last time I visited we didn't have a lot of money, and to get him to sign a print, you had to spend more than we had at that time.  This time I was determined to get a signed print while I had the opportunity and so decided on the print below entitled, "Family Album".

Thomas Joseph was hard at work when we arrived, and it was so lovely to talk with him and look through what he had been doing.  It is certainly an experience I shall always remember.

 

It was a beautiful day as we walked by the sea and seeing the recently painted railings, reminded me of a poem that Adrian Plass once wrote.  It's so true too, the railings are often painted blue.  Maybe in hope of blue skies and seas in the summer ahead.

Does winter end in seaside towns when      

   councils paint anew

The railings on the promenade in hopeful  

   shades of blue

And if the tide loved Brighton beach, would   

   God come down and say

With gentle hands upon the surf, 'you need 

   not turn today'

Will massive Church of England Bells have  

   faith enough to ring

And overcome their weariness, when they believe in spring

Are there machines for measuring the power of our prayers

And anyway, and anyway, and anyway who cares?

I think you care, but gently, I think because you do

The colour of my sadness is a hopeful shade of blue

                                                       "Wish Ewe Were Here"

Spring Makes

My travels this Spring have been few in number, so I have been a crafting busy bee instead.  I love making things and so February and March had me delving into my stash of supplies deciding what I should try. Some of my friends are very kind and save up all kinds of bits and pieces like buttons and ribbons etc. so my stash continues to grow and comes in very useful.  There are many things I love to make and I especially love to try some thing  new, hence my crafting is very diverse.

Ollie the Door Stop

I just loved how Ollie turned out, the colouring especially.  He's not a toy I should add, but a door stop. He will sit by any door and keep it open for you.  Filled with stuffing and children's play sand.  I made 2 of them, one with eyes open and the other has one shut!!!  I'm selling them for £15 each, but if anyone wants them posted, obviously then there is postage on top.

£10 (sold)

£20 (including batteries)

Button Hearts on Canvas

These are so easy to do. You can buy a canvas board from one of the 99p shops.  Staple gun on some material and lace and then stick on the buttons.  

My other one has battery operated lights that have been poked through the pierced canvas and then tied in place at the back.  They both would look lovely on any bedroom wall.

£10

Button Tree on Canvas

Once again on this canvas I painted the branches of the tree using brown alcohol ink and also dabbed on a few green leaves.  Then after placing the buttons on first to get the right position, I glued them in place.  This is so easy to do, you don't have to be a great crafter to do it.  Children would find this very easy too.

Let me know if you try it out, love to hear from you.

I do take orders of any of the above, you get to choose the size or colour etc.  

When I sell anything, 10% of it gets given away to our church's Building Fund.

Sprinter

Sprinter

Living here in the South of England, winter and spring often get muddled up (I've decided).

This year I decided to call it 'Sprinter', a mixture of Spring and Winter.

You may ask why?  Well while the rest of the country seem to have loads of snow, really freezing temperatures and so on, here we had daffodils in bloom in December right through to February where we are now.  The catkins are also out too.  Crazy, but yes it is true.  Nature simply doesn't know what to think and neither do I for that matter.  I guess it's because we live by the sea and the golf stream which comes to us from warmer climes keeps a lot of the snow away, making our seas a little bit warmer and so we are often protected.

It's a shame really, as I do like the snow, well for a while, until the novelty wears off.  Years ago when I was a child, we had more snow than we do now, I guess it is global warming or some such thing.  Whatever the case, we haven't had much of it so far, yes it is cold but there's still a chance.  

Then I woke up the other morning AND LOOK!!!!  At last we had a flurry!!! it lasted all of an hour or so and then it was gone again.

Never mind.  So I've entitled my photo 

'A Moment In Time' - especially as it only lasted a moment! lol

Christmas Craft

Driftwood, Sea Glass, String & Lights

Christmas crafts can come in all shapes and sizes, but this one is one that I particularly liked, made and was very popular, hence I ran out of them.

If you fancy a go, buy a white blank canvas board.

Pick up drift wood and sea glass from the beach.

Stick the driftwood on first with a strong glue.

Once dry, thread a needle with string and sew the drift wood on   to the canvas.

Stick on the glass.

Then make holes in the canvas where you want the lights to poke through.

Tie the wires to the lights at the back of the canvas so they won't stick out too far.

Get some batteries for the lights.

They look great hung in the hall or any where really.