Thursday 31 March 2011



Someone threw all of these art materials out for the rubbish last week - in a perfectly good lidded box so I rescued them! All of this was destined for landfill.

What's the answer to this situation?

Throw away society



I love these old North African necklaces but the strings are often pretty ropey (no pun intended) and its difficult finding a good replacement string.I've used hemp thread but I'm also trying to by some camel hair thread from someone in Kingsbridge,Devon who weaves and spins.



Something pretty after my last post! These are beautiful kiffa beads made by hand in Mauritania.One of my restringing customers collects these beautiful old beads from across the world and I made up this necklace for her wedding last year.

The picture shows it before I added the silver clasp.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

In case you need a reason not to eat factory farmed chicken these are trays of live chicks!

http://www.ciwf.org.uk/about_us/default.aspx






my 2 bantams
The water rushes out from the generating building.


The chickens in the picture are a lovely free range crowd living on a smallholding near Cotehele. They sell eggs there too!



It's raining - but we've been so lucky to have one of the warmest and sunniest Marchs I can remember. A little while back I cycled down to Cotehele Mill which is owned by The National Trust and now has a fully operational micro power generation plant. The mill also uses the plentiful supply of fresh water to power a newly contructed water wheel and grind flour.

Tuesday 29 March 2011

YouTube - Earth Hour 2011 Official video


YouTube - Earth Hour 2011 Official video

I'm sad that so many businesses and private homes in the UK didnt take part in earthhour but I guess its all part of the national apathy towards all things green?Anyway some of us did our bit -including my daughter Unity and partner Simon in Oxford!


Next year I plan to start organsing the campaingn earlier!

Monday 28 March 2011



We asked a friend to check up on the 2 dogs that 'adopt' us in Abruzzo!The girl is very friendly but her brother is more cautious.They were both put into a cardboard box as puppies and left in a layby.

Got my MOT done nothing needed and as usual my tiny little car gets a 'well done' pat !

As it was such a beautiful morning I decided to go for a walk rather than sit around at the garage.Just past Central Motors in St Annes Chapel I came across a delightful little Nature Reserve called 'Pleasure Piece'.It was given to Calstock Parish Council in 1894 and is officially a Village Green.There are several benches there with views down over the Tamar Valley to the Sea.

With the songs of chiffchaffs and linnets drowning out the traffic from the busy Callington road it makes a beautiful peaceful place to sit and reflect on nature while you wait for your car to get fixed!

And I'm really pleased with these lovely irises that have blommed their heads off since January!They are Iris Stylosa I think and love to be baked in the sun.If only the slugs didnt like them too!

Saturday 26 March 2011



Only another month to go before we head south like the birds on migration!Its my favourite time and my head is full of plans on what I can do at our house.I've been sowing seeds and I must stop myself getting carried away with plans for the garden before the house is finished!

Last year was wonderful for Orchids.They love the limey soil.

its earthour tonight at 8.30pm!
switch off your lights to show you care about the planet!

Thursday 24 March 2011

Quilting



Its another wonderful Spring day today and not only have I see chiffchaffs but yesterday I heard a blackcap singing.

I gave my sore thumb a rest yesterday but I couldnt resist a 2 hour session sewing the quilt!Its my aim to get it finished by Easter and ready to quilt up.As you can see Pippin likes it too.

I've just finished a batch of flower brooches that I need for a craft fair on 16th April.I find it very relaxing making these-I'll put some in my Folksy shop www.folksy.com/shops/birdseye.html

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Seed Swap


This evening I'm off to Saltash for a 'Seed Swap' evening.I've put all my seeds into the little packages I use for beads.I have lots of strange stuff so I hope that someone wants them!

The Seed Swap is one of the events SEA(Saltash Environmental Action) has planned for Climate Change Week 21st - 27th March.On Saturday our members aretaking part in earthhour.

We'll be switching off all the electricity for an hour between 8.30pm and 9pm.Why not join us?

Sewing



I've just finished a massive restringing projects working with some fantastic antique beads and silver.Its been fascinating but I was quite relieved to package it all up and send it back yesterday!

With more free time than I've had in ages I'm getting lots of sewing projects finished.Yesterday I got some more felt flower bracelets done for a little gallery near us called Tayt Morden(Morden is the name of the river that flows down this valley!)I've been spending the evening sewing my quilt and now I have a very sore thumb,tried ibruprofren gel but its not working.