What have I been up to ?

Well, I have been quite busy, time is going by so fast and I am getting worse and worse at updating my blog and checking out other peoples blogs which I always find so much fun and inspiring, so, sorry for not leaving comments lately !
I have bought a press and have pressed some rape seed, so hope to have lovely bottled cold pressed rape seed oil to sell soon.
I have been getting my shop ready for Christmas with baskets filled with ciders, marmelades etc, little gift wrapped geles etc.

We have had a day doing our traditional candle making, a must at this time of year. The local historical society who organise it lay on a wonderful table with buns, cakes, breads....yum ( to be honest that's more important to me than the candle making but don't tell anyone !!)

We have also made our Christmas "pepparkaka" traditional Swedish ginger bread, but I haven't loaded the pictures up yet, must take more pictures of the biscuits before we eat them all....XXXXXX

Hedge Witch !

I've been busy picking as many berries as I can fill my freezer with, had to buy another freezer actually ! Here are some pictures of beautiful red lingon and rowanberries. The rowanberries I boil up with apples to make geles with.
I always like to read Mary Stewart's "Thornyhold" at this time of the year, it's a cosy, warm, witchy book !

Inspiration

My 11 year old daughter made these lovely cut out paper dolls giving them different clothes ( unfortunately the photo's didn't come out so well ) she gave them to some friends of hers. I was so impressed, and got the idea to design my own.

I did a page with a doll in her underwear plus two dresses, the pink and white one being our local folk dress. I painted the church and our local flower symbol, the cowslip. I really enjoyed doing it ! I loved paper dolls when I was little and remember being so happy if Mum bought me a paper doll book/kit from the local post office !! Nowadays it's all "Sims" and much more sophisticated ! So I was really pleased that my daughter spent a happy morning making her own little people !!

It's all go !

It's a busy summer here, extending the house, building a new boiler room ( not that I'm doing that !) bees, farm shop, fruit picking and kids ! Anyway, I am trying to get some painting done as the garden comes into bloom. I am enjoying it ! Happy Summer all XXXXX !

Oh my word !! June already !!

I'm so bad at blogging !! In my defence I have been having rather a busy time with kids, bees, farm shop, garden etc...but who hasn't been....I'm just lazy !!

Just seen to my hives. I feel rather like I'm swimming around in the dark ! Reading books on the subject, trying to work out from the notes I took last year ( when I had lots of help ) what I need to be looking for etc. So far, no swarms anyway, and I have lots of bees who are producing honey. Fingers crossed for a good year as last year was. I have just made them rather cross though checking through all the frames as you can see in the picture they are sticking to the outside of their home wanting to get back in after I've been in and messed it all up for them ! I mean well though !!

Beautiful spring with lots of blossom, does that mean lots of fruit ? I hope so.

The lilac is still a picture . I have to paint it each year. This years effort has gone into a local exhibition, being rather stressed I forgot to photograph it before I put it in. Also entered two lazy cat paintings and a drawing of a friend in the lotus position meditating ( the theme of the exhibition was "peace and calm" so I thought these pictures fitted ) I will try and put them on the blog next time, when I've got them back.

So far the farm has purchased two new tractors ( one new and one second hand ) Rape seed has been planted, I am hoping to produce cold pressed rape seed oil at the end of the summer for my farm shop.

I have been working on the garden, making beds and planting amongst other plants 10 rose bushes, never tried roses before, I hope the moles don't get to them, or the deer, I met one in the garden on friday evening ! Very sweet, but destructive.

Trying to get a herb garden going and some veggies. Have also planted 10 Sea Buckwheat bushes ( think that's what they are called in English ) as the berries are very popular and very good for you. Also thinking farm shop here.

The pear tree has been a mass of white blossom, really lovely ! Take care XXXX

Visit to London

Been painting more lables for jam and jelly jars !

We had a great two night stay in London ! Shopping, sightseeing, more shopping, eating, coffees, more eating, more coffees....and a very enjoyable show " We Will Rock You" we all loved it !

Had an order for a Birthday painting of a house with the owners two corgi dogs. I find it quite a challenge to put together a painting from several different photo's, but fun, and I hope it will be enjoyed.

A few of my favourite things !

Got the urge to photograph ten of my favourite things ...got lots of favourite things really, and of course my absolutely favourite things are my children and husband...and cats, but they are not really things !

A basket full of things my children have made at school and brought proudly home!

A pipe rack/cupboard that my great Grandfather made, it's very Arts and Craftsy...

My favourite perfume, my husband searched everywhere and found me a bottle for my birthday !

My rag dolls, made for me many years ago by my Mum, they've been adopted by my youngest...

My Dad made this beautiful dolls house for his granddaughters, and the furniture inside....

My Helen Bradley books, I am collecting them all as they remind me of holidays with my grandmother in Devon, I used to borrow them from her local library, and look at the pictures for hours, I'd then draw for hours having been inspired !

A painting my daughter did when she was about 3, I love the colours, I was doing a painting of a window and she joined me and did a much better painting !

A mug that I bought at "The Jinney Ring" a crafts shop near to where my Father lives, I love visiting there and always come away with something pretty !

This china doll belonged to my great, great Grandmother, a real treasure....

A painting by my darling Mum, I remember her doing it, she was so clever and I miss her terribly, but I am so lucky to have some of her lovely paintings around me.

The Flu!

I usually "tut tut" at people who say they've had the flu, when really it was just a heavy cold ! My Grandmother had the flu in 1918 and it turned her hair white, I believe she was one of the lucky ones. Anyway, after four nights with fever, I am calling my cold the flu !! My faithful cat Chutney and his naughty little friend Tumnus have been great company, not so good at coming to me with cups of tea with honey, but my lovely daughters have been great in that respect ! Feel much better today and I'm going to tackle the vacume...long overdue !



















Tried to scan in these three little watercolours, but they didn't come out so well. Two "corners", not in my house, but I like rooms and windows and doorways leading off to places. The dresser is an attempt at my messy dresser !

Rally Drive

I had a certain birthday, and my husband, not to be boring, gave me an unusual present, a chance to drive a rally car ! So, feeling rather nervous to begin with, I spent a morning on a very curvy, icy track ! Had an instructor to start with, then a few goes on my own ! It was great fun, only crashed ( into some tyres ) once ! It was me and four men, guess how seriously they took it !!! Anyway, I had a laugh, and looking at the times afterwards, I don't think I let the side down !

Chutney and marmalade pots !

I had a lovely comment from Claudia suggesting I do watercolour designs for my pots which was nice as that's just what I've been working on ! Any suggestions ? Too much, too little, too rustic, too scruffy !!? I'd love to know....thanks XXX