Saturday 1 October 2011

Exciting First Time Things

This has been a week of first things!

One of the runner ducks has laid its first egg - presumable the lady duck! It is a work of art that I felt needed to be marked down in history so where better to celebrate it than on my blog. Here it is in pride of place next to Pickett Hill, the colours seem to go quite well together.

The next exciting first time thing this week has been Judith Dowden of www.insomesmallway.co.uk bringing out her own book. It is a little English village of houses - pub and church included of course - with a village green to put them around. They are just gorgeous. My 'first' copy arrived this morning. I say 'first' because I am about to order more now that I have seen how wonderful it is (and now that my son has immediately stolen this copy to make himself!).


Judith has hand drawn and then painted all the little buildings herself and they are just so lovely. There are even cows, pigs, sheep, donkeys and trees as well as people to place around your village and the farm. Elliot is raiding my stash of 144th scale ducks to put on the pond. The houses are 144th scale and just so sweet. I am going to make a set as a village and then I will make another set but decorate each house with some snow and glitter and put string through the roofs and hang them on my Christmas tree.


Other first time things this week were that I started a new job at the most beautiful embroidery shop - I was too scared to take photos on my first day so they will have to wait. I absolutely loved it. I also talked in front a room of people at a Craft Club training day. When I say talked I mean I actually stood up and did a presentation. Some of you may be thinking 'so what' but trust me it is something that I thought I would never do and it is only because it is something that I am so passionate about that I was able to do it. A year ago I went on a training day run by the Crafts Council under the heading of Craft Club and then went on to set up a craft club at my local school. This year I went back and talked to the new people about how I have achieved that. It was so much fun. We got to play on an over sized Knitting Nancy and huge needles.

We also all knitted and crocheted leaves to hang on the tree. You may remember the photo from last year that I posted on my blog, well here is this years tree!

There was a local artist called Ruthie Ford who gave a wonderful talk with fabulous pictures. It was fascinating to see how she has used crochet and knitting. I had a great day.

Lastly of the first things this week I started to learn to use a drop spindle. It is a wonderful feeling that you are going from fleece to yarn and it has a very relaxing feel to it. I am not posting photos just yet - let me have some more practise first.

3 comments:

Sandra said...

Wow Claire you have had a week of firsts - good on you! I had a first too, because my order for the Village Booklet was the first one that Judith received vbg! It is on its way to Aus as I type and I am looking forward to doing it with my grandsons. I plan to order more as well - including one for me. Pickett Hill looks wonderful by the way! I have brought my kit with me to start while I am with my daughter (maybe).
Luv,
Sandie

Tantie said...

Claire
Great to see all the wonderful things you have been creating over the summer. Those boots really are fab! Love the color as well, remind me of my Doc Martins purchased 20 years ago and still going strong. You have me convinced I must order Judith's book. Like the idea of turning them into decorations for the tree.
Take care friend
Hugs
Tantie

Lee said...

Your Pickett Hill looks wonderful!
You have been very busy working on it-I know it is an involved kit.
I enjoyed seeing your knitted items, too.
Thanks for sharing!