Seeds to grow

Many years ago I used to feel out of synch... then I discovered the pagan wheel of the year. I rediscovered the seasons and their meaning. I found out why I love autumn...


My Halloween / Samhain thought list:

* I will think back over the year past, read old journal entries, be glad for what I have, learn from my mistakes...



*"On the night of Samhain the veil between the spiritual world and the physical world is at it's thinnest. " So I know those who are gone are hovering just over my shoulder, helping me daily and giving me little pointers, little visions...

* I will fill the house with squashs and pumpkins and branches, leaves and seeds from our walks.

*I have a new notebook to list everything I want to achieve next year. It will slowly fill ... and come february I will be ready to start acting on it... I call the list my 'seeds to grow'...

* I have new candles to burn.

crunch crunch crunch, the leaves underfoot.

autumn sowing / sewing

Yesterday I did some autumn sowing in my kitchen garden. Some broad beans behind the lavendar... and some spinach in the pots by my back door. I am not sure you are supposed the do the gardening in a white slip, wrinkly grey wool tights and a pair of pink kiddie shoes... but hey, the shoes do match my gardening gloves...

I love pottering in the garden and I am slowly finding the time to increase our 'homegrown' produce. In spring I will clear more ground and spread out the veg a little. Till then its autumn spinach and broad beans sprouting up outside while I cook up the rest of the apples and cultivate lots of luscious herbs on the window sill inside...

Today I woke early at 5 am and could not sleep longer. I love early morning rising. So I snuck downstairs to finish sewing the Ophelia bag I started so many weeks back. Planning to do some finishing touches after this post. Sigh. Happy weekend. x

More Bill Gibb...

I adore this woodland inspired dress. the dress itself is perfect, the setting, her hair... its like a glimpse through the trees at a magical realm.

Little bumble bee buttons and a whitework embroidery depicting a bee. At some point I will doubtless steal these bee themed ideas for my own creations. How I love them.

Pretty fabric designed in 1977. I love the stance of these birds, one serene and watching the other startled and about to fly. The thistle there I guess for Gibb's Scottish roots.

I hope our trip to the library tomorrow throws some more unexpected published magic my way.

some powder pink fur & green ribbons

Over the weekend I had some fun making this collar. Its knitted in powder pink Jaegar fur which was on offer at my local yarn store. I bought it in other colours too - woodland green and light fawn. I couldn't resist.

Finished it with thrift shop lace and two vintage button box buttons - one wooden heart, one shiny mother of pearl. It also looks very cute on Baby J , but she wouldn't stand still to have her photo taken ;-)

And a while back I had knitted this lace effect collar in leftover creamy yarn. I finally finished it with a striking greenest green ribbon and some more thrifted lace. It is kind of inspired by the Elizabethian collars in the 16th century. Because I guess Elizabeth I is kind of my favourite historical character. " I may not be a lion but i have a lion's heart"...

Oh I am very pleased with it. x

Pomegranate & Birthday

Every autumn when I was little my Dad used to bring me a Pomegranate. I love to cut it in two and see the little red juicy seeds. Eating it is a ritual which I like...

It is my Dad's birthday today. I made him a chocolate mint cream cake.

Fashion & Fantasy

I have been reading a biography of fashion designer Bill Gibb. I picked the book up by chance in the library. Gosh its wonderful. Perhaps I was the only one, but I hadn't heard of Bill Gibb. I am so glad I stumbled on this book because it has been quite inspirational. He was influenced by medeavil history, pre-raphaelite paintings, gypsy culture, flowers... his dresses were art. He said he never saw anyone wear one of his designs but he didn't care. He was a true creative soul.
I want to copy some pictures to show you. (I can't find much online.) But here is the above pic for now...
I love to find new inspiration like this.

a hummingbird with a paper heart

If I were a word, I would be verb. A 'doing' word. I do not stop. I am never static. Like a hummingbird I must keep flapping my wings, must keep thinking, changing, making, doing, becoming...

I have been taking some time to gather ideas this week. To be inspired... by the blogs I read of course and also by some new books, both bought and borrowed, and by the slow turn of summer into my favourite season, autumn.

Last night I read Magical Hoofbeats . I imagine galloping towards woodland on the back of a white mare. Do you know I have never been on a horse? I have added it to my list of 101 things I must do soon, or at least, sooner or later.

I have read LOTS of books this week. Each will be mentioned in their turn.

And I have been playing with paper. So I have also finally started my little scrapbook project. I keep a paper journal you see. But lately I took a notion that I would like to 'depict' as well as write my life on to paper. So my new scrapbook journal is in words and pictures. Therefore it is less rambling and more satisfying... but oh, I see that I have started to ramble on this blog instead...