Paper Feathers

Last weekend Jennifer ran one of her fantastic blog events. She set several challenges and one of them was to be inspired to be as "free as a bird". To use bird elements and to try things outside of your comfort zone.

Here is what I created....

The feathers were so easy to draw. I just searched for drawings of feathers on the web and combined several styles, smudging and changing pens when it felt right.
I also found that the more I cut into the feathers the more realistic they looked.

I have drawn a lot in the past but hadn't for quite a while so it was a bit out of my comfort zone. It is also ironic that I absolutely hate birds so to draw feathers was interesting!
I think these would add lovely texture to a scrapbook page or as a detail on a card.

Thank you for a fun challenge Jennifer.

One May evening

It has been a long day. 

I missed my connection and so my train is getting in half an hour later. It's funny the difference a seven on the clock makes to my mind. I am suddenly weary. 

Nevertheless my heart has started its little bass line as the train gets closer to my destination. 

I look down at my feet and remember him telling me that the train won't get there faster if I am pushing. 

I pick up my bag far too early and wait for too long by the doors. 

Finally we crawl into the station and stop. I pull my backpack over my shoulders and join the crowds streaming from the train. 

I fumble to get my ticket out at the barrier. I can't see him yet. And then as I round the corner he is there, a smile playing across his lips. I don't remember walking the final few feet to get to him. I am just there, his arms around me, his hands lifting the bag from my shoulders. 

We walk away from the station, talk interspersed with laughter. It is later now and I am hungry. His hand on my waist directs me into the warm Indian restaurant and we take our seats... 

I am feeling relaxed and full and sleepy. It is the most beautiful evening and we take our time strolling back to the boys house. We pass the green exterior of Maddisons ice cream parlour. He looks at me and laughs. 

There is such an array of ice cream that I am stumped at first. Finally we settle. Mango for her, white chocolate for him. As we leave I wave my phone asking for a picture. There is the sigh of long suffering as he grabs the camera. 

I stand holding two ice creams with a rucksack on my back, smilingly goofily at this special man. One May evening, him and her, the.best. 

Today I am joining in with Alexa's beautiful meme, "Simply a Moment." Do stop by her blog to read both Alexa's words and other bloggers as they record their moments. 

DIY gold painted mug

So this feels like a bit of a cheeky DIY because really it is very easy!
I needed some procrastination craft and saw some lovely gold painted porcelain all over pinterest so went to try and make my own.

You will need: 
A plain white mug. I picked mine up from the supermarket for about £2.00
A Gold paint pen or permanent marker. I used a uni paint marker in gold.
A sunny afternoon and some good music.

I decorated my mug outside just because the paint pen is quite smelly!
Really there isn't anything scientific or technical about this. I just drew what I thought would look nice- spots and geometric shapes.

The paint pen works well and gives it a nice shine. It also dried super fast.
I wanted to add some words to my mug so wrote this on one side...

and this on the other...

I also decorated the handle in stripes. So simple but it looks effective. Just experiment and play around.

I dont' really know how safe the mug would be to drink out of so I have used mine to hold flowers.

I guess if you wanted the porcelain to be useable I would bake it in the oven for an hour or so to set the paint. I didn't do this and the paint is waterproof and doesn't chip so success all round!

I think this would make such a fun gift. Flowers look lovely but you could fill it with kitchen utensils and give it as a housewarming gift or fill with sweet treats for children. And who says you have to stick with mugs? Vases, plates and butter dishes could all look sweet with a little bit of paint!

Onwards and Upwards blog hop

Today I am joining in with the lovely Jennifer on her "onwards and upwards" themed blog hop. 

Hopes and Dreams.

When Jennifer gave the brief for the blog hope one of the things she suggested was hopes and dreams. 

I liked the sound of that because to be honest I have a lot of hopes, some are pretty rational and I hope fairly achievable. 

But some of my hopes and dreams are just plain fun and I thought it would be great to compile them into a list because you never know, one day one of these pipe dreams may just come true!

I would like to some day design a fabric line. In an ideal world for Cath Kidston (or is it just cath who designs them? who knows!) 

Open a craft store. With cake and lots of tea and a big table where we can craft together. 

Create a camera app. 

Earn money from blogging. I know. Pipe dreams I tell you! 

Write a book. I can't decide whether I am dreaming of being a novelist or making a craft book. 

Live in New York for a year. (This is a thoroughly romantic ideal because the truth of the matter is, I don't like big cities.) 

Make a piece of furniture from scratch. 

Go on a spontaneous holiday.

Do the artwork for an album recorded by a friend. 

Learn how to computer code and design my own website. 

Sell something on etsy. 

Become proficient at ballet. 

Learn how to cable knit. 

Renovate something. ( a building possibly not, but furniture maybe!) 

What are your fun pipe dreams? Or dreams that could be become a reality? 

Thank you for asking me to join in Jennifer! 

So this is the fun part...Jennifer is offering a chance to win a prize pack of scrapbooking goodies (Glitz Designs Color Me Happy and Simple Stories 24/7) if you comment on each of the blogs on the blog hop. Simply leave a comment and then head back to Jennifer's blog to let her know you have been all the way round. 

There is so much fun stuff going on over on her blog in the next few days so make sure you pop by and have a look. I am the last on the blog hop so click here to head back to Jennifer or start again if you are lost and confused! 

Project Life week 18

First up, thank you so much for your kind words about sweet Emmy cat. 

On a happier note, here is Project Life week 18. 

Photos:

Except the blurred pins photo, all of the photos on this weeks spread are instagram photos. I read an interesting article today which was quite critical of instagram. Although there was lots in it that I agree with, I am still grateful for the ease of the app and its convenience. I mean this weeks project life spread would be pretty bare without it! I think I need to write a blog post about this! 

There were plenty of ice cream photos from this weekend. The sunny weather and revision breaks resulted in a lot of ice cream eaten! I also included photos of my weekend with the boy and those glorious blue skies this weekend. 

Journalling: 

There weren't too many stories this week so lots of little notes on photos instead. I did document how much I am enjoying the arrival of Spring and some thoughts about April. That photo of the shoes on the second page was just crying out for journalling so I wrote about my time with the boy. 

Techniques: 

Nothing too special this week to be honest. I added a paint effect background to that quote card to try and tie it in with the sea foam kit I am using. 

Anything else: 

This week was a fun challenge in that nearly all my pictures were taken in the space of the bank holiday weekend. I therefore used journalling on the first page to try and tell the story of the week. Generally I try and focus the left spread on the begging of the week and the right spread on the end of the week. Obviously this works in theory but not too often in practice! I try though! 

Still loving how this project is unfolding!

Sweet Emmy Cat

It's ironic that I read Amy's post only the other day about the sad loss of her dog and commented about how I had felt when our cat had appeared to go missing.

This is Emmy. She was the hunter of our two cats. She was the sort of cat that would only have cuddles if she chose to but when she did she wouldn't leave you alone. She would sit on your feet and warm them like a hot water bottle. We always called her the clever cat.

In the summer she went missing. For over a month. We assumed we had lost her for good before one day she turned up at our old house. Out of the blue she was back.

I spoke to Mum on the phone on Monday and just before we said goodbye she told me the sad news. That our sweet Emmy cat had been knocked over on the road. Thankfully she appeared not to have suffered but she had passed away.

I don't often talk about our pets on the blog but like Amy I didn't think it would feel like this. We knew we lived near a busy road and we knew that one of the cats being hit was a real possibility but still. I didn't think it would bring a lump to my throat the second time. The sweet cat really did use up all her nine lives and its hard to know that this time she won't come strolling in again.

Emmy cat. Very loved.

Playlist

May, and the weather seems to have at last turned...just in time for exams.

This is what is hot at the moment:

Listening: 
Bastille are quite a popular band at the moment and their music is just great. This is one of my favourites from their album "bad blood".

Reading:
The time travellers wife. Again. It's a great book folks. Very well written, bit of a tear jerker. I need something I have read before when I have exams. It's the best way to switch off. If its a new read I will stay up too late trying to read too many chapters!

Planning:
Well who wouldn't be planning if you saw this selection of fabrics in John Lewis?

The truth of the matter is that the only planning happening around here at the moment is revision. Oh so sad but true.

Wearing:
I picked up these sweet  pumps for only £6.00 in New Look the other day. They are super comfy and they have polka dots! What is not to love! Thankfully we are out of the winter woolies but into the stage of "shall I bring a cardigan or not" type of weather. So lots of layering and turned up jeans going on over here. ( As said before, I am not a fashion blogger. I don't know how they do it!)

What are you reading, listening, planning or wearing this month?