Merry Christmas

Santa pin cushion.

This years Liverbird challenge was to make a pin cushion to show and tell at the end of year Christmas party. I had a whole year in which to make one so no rush. However, the year raced by and before I knew it it was the the day of our last meeting for 2013. Its amazing what you can do when your up against the clock and this is what I made. We had a great night with lots of love and laughter and most of all friendship. For me that is what Christmas is all about enjoying time with those you love. I am truly blessed to have amazing people in my life so I'd like to wish all my family and friends, near and far, a very Merry Christmas, I hope all your dreams and wishes come true.

Shoes glorious shoes.....

Christmas Tree.

Once upon a time a long time ago I have a large collection of fabulous shoes. I probably treated myself to a pair or two every month when pay day arrived. Then suddenly two things happened and the shoe collection became very small. The first being I met and married Colin and lots of shoes moved out to make space for his clothes in the wardrobe. The second thing was I discovered patchwork and quilting and my addiction changed to fabric. Now I only buy sensible essential foot ware when needed. However, I have another, more manageable, shoe collection and each year its getting bigger. It is the shoes on my Christmas tree. This year there are four new ones, making a total of four pairs and ten individual shoes.  Some I have bought myself, whilst the others are gifts from friends and family. I adore my Christmas tree shoe collection and look forward to adding to my collection next year.

Christmas Stockings.

Last year my amazing friend Janet designed and made Christmas stockings for her family and I fell in love with them. However, it wasn't until I called to Janet's on Thursday and saw her making an additional stocking that I had the urge to make one or two for my own loved ones. I asked Janet if I could copy her idea, generous as ever she said she didn't mind at all. I came home made a template and set to. I planned to make six in total but to my dismay I discovered I had very little Christmas fabric, certainly not enough to make six. I have managed to complete two as well as a third stocking cut out and ready to sew. I thoroughly enjoyed making these they are a great little project and gave me a lovely break from uni homework. Today's break will be housework before hitting the sketch book again.

Barclay's free pens....

I am sorry to all my lovely friends who keep up with my blog that my post are not very regular. The excuse at the minute is I am constantly busy with Uni homework. It took me all day yesterday selecting, rejecting and mounting my work on to 24 A2 sheets of cartridge paper, ready for presentation for Drawing for Textiles.  I have one detailed drawing left to do plus ongoing sketchbook work for this module but its more or less in the bag. I now have to do the same for Creative Thinking and Textiles. The deadline for completion is the 13th January 10am ready for assessment under exam conditions. Now its seems a long way off but I know if I don't keep on top of it I will run out of time and go into complete panic mode. After selecting and rejecting then mounting out came the sketch book because I wanted to draw this lovely flower. We where asked to use different types of mediums in drawing for textiles, I decided to have a go and draw with a Biro. Now you would think in a room full of pens, pencils and paints I would have umpteen Biro's but the only Biro I could lay my hands on was a freebie from Barclay's bank. I have to say this was a lovely pen to draw with it created really soft lines and it was a joy to use. I have decided that I will be picking up several of these pens next time I'm in the bank. The second image is the same flower only this time I have used water colour paints. It is not quite finished as I need to add bits of detail using water colour pencils.

A trip to Nottingham.

Nottingham Trent Uni

The Council Exchange Building In Nottingham City Centre.

Christmas Market in the towns square

Statue of Robin Hood just outside the castle grounds.

Part of Nottingham castle.

The grounds in Nottingham Castle.

Nottingham Castle.

Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.

Wollaton Hall was Wayne Manor in the 3rd Batman film "The Dark Knight".

I have just come back from a three day trip to Nottingham.  My niece Paige attends Nottingham Trent Uni where she is studying for a Law degree.  I went with my sister Natalie and we had a great time. We visited Nottingham castle but very little of the the castle remains as it was burnt to the ground during the civil war in the 16th century. Today stands a beautiful 17th century manor in its place and  it is a Art Gallery and Museum. We enjoyed the sites and sounds of the Christmas Market in the town square and browsed around the shops. Before we left for home on Saturday we called in to Wollaton Hall and Deer Park. This is a gorgeous Elizabethan House built by Sir Frances Willoughby During the 16th century. The mob of the civil war also tried to attack and burn Wollaton Hall but Willoughby was very paranoid and had the house heavily armed. He even had a small cannon facing Derby Road which I assume was probably where the mob could gain access to the house.  Today it is owned by Nottingham Council and it is a Natural History Museum. Situated in acres of deer park it really is a beautiful place to visit.