This part of my blog is all about the things I collect or the things I make myself. I love so many things, I paint and draw and want to learn oils and pastels. I knit and crochet but want to learn tatting. I embroider and can turn my hand to most things given a chance. So much still to learn and do. I live in hope of some day reading all my books, learning all I want to learn and now I am learning to blog. You will often find my original poems, poor as they are I offer them here. I also appreciate other people art and will feature things I find that I have enjoyed. That includes pictures of fairies and fantasy or maybe just anything beautiful.
I try to use my own photo's as much as possible, sometimes I borrow from the web. If I inadvertently use your picture without giving credit, please do let me know and I will either credit or remove it, I hope you will do the same with mine.
If you wish to leave comments on my blog you can do that by joining google if you do not have a blog yourself, please comment if you can I appreciate that.


Thursday, June 30, 2016

Making Freezer Jam..........

So Edna and I went down to the Pigpatch down near Custer (Michigan) We were going to the Quilt shop. I did manage to find a couple of things and I also got two dozen eggs. The Pig Patch being a farm and all.
 photo 103_4997
_zpsqdnnlg8g.jpg
The farm is beautiful and a real working farm. The Quilt shop is in the farm house so one of the nicest......well we love it.
 photo 103_5003_zpszd1butgq.jpg
Anyway, just as we turn off to go to the Pig Patch there is a beautiful farm market and that is where I got my Strawberries. I bought a whole bunch. The intent was to make freezer jam. The cleaning was the hard part. Time consuming really is all.
 photo 103_4583_zpspj5slqjm.jpg
After they were washed and topped and sorted I Froze 1/2 of them. Some for making jam later and some for eating later.
 photo 103_4585j_zpsooj5ssnr.jpg
I kept some for eating the next few days, tomorrow I will make some shortcake.
 photo 103_4580h_zpsgj6c7jkd.jpg
I love the look of them in their jars, so pretty.They are somewhat chunky and that should be nice.
 photo 103_4581_zpsnualseip.jpg
 photo 103_4582h_zpsoitddp8h.jpg
Anyway, it was a bit hot in the kitchen so that was enough for me for oneday. Having run out of pectin it was better to freeze the rest and use up what I had made. Later I will make marmalade and my cranberry jam. When the weather is cooler.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Finishing up my sketch book...............

I can't remember what number of sketchbook this is. It was done on a regular sketch book. I wanted to do it in colour pencil but didn't like it and so I did watercolour. That doesn't go well on regular paper. That's OK. The book is just practice stuff. Some day I will go to these books for ideas for paintings. Its fun to do. It's good practice for me. A lot is not my original ideas and so the books are just for me and practice.
 photo 103_4688_zpsa4u9bamg.jpg
 photo 103_4687h_zpsztx8alul.jpg
Some are not so good.It doesn't matter.
 photo 103_4686_zpse0qnal7y.jpg
 photo 103_4689_zps7vei6ihq.jpg
Good or bad they are here for the record.
 photo 103_4682j_zpste4qhcdj.jpg
 photo 103_4684_zpsymmmabrr.jpg
 photo 103_4683j_zpsnn5ct1o3.jpg
The pencil sketches will get painted even though its not the best method. It saves the pencil from rubbing off.
 photo 103_4680j_zpsrpoyw6ty.jpg
 photo 103_4678j_zpsmwdk79mq.jpg
 photo 103_4677k_zpsrvajxg4f.jpg
I find quotes and put them in the books. They don't necessary go with the picture but some day maybe I will have collected enough to do pictures with quotes that go with it. I can make cards or something.
 photo 103_4675h_zps59lyohg6.jpg
 photo 103_4676h_zpsvr0r70oe.jpg
 photo 103_4674j_zpsfybxud6d.jpg
 photo 103_4671_zpsgvwarkz7.jpg

 photo 103_4672h_zpsuavyqasa.jpg
 photo 103_4673j_zpspsubywak.jpg
 photo 103_4668j_zpsmzqi0jjo.jpg
 photo 103_4669h_zpszvzie7eo.jpg
 photo 103_4670j_zpsmdbyrya5.jpg
 photo 103_4681h_zpsy7swzrur.jpg
I am not sure that I will continue doing the sketch books even though I enjoy it. I should really try to do some real work. I would like to do a few tests and give them away. We shall see. I have been getting the urge to do some real paintings. I guess I don't do that much anymore because I have no wall space haha and don't know what else to do with them. I may try putting some on my Bluebell Woods page or giving some away on my blog. For now, thats probably all I will do as far as posting on this book.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Walking Home..........

I didn't have anything for this blog so will share some pictures I took on our walk home from school. For a couple of days we had to walk because the van was in the shop. Its only maybe 2 blocks at most. Still I got to see some neighbours gardens. I loved the light on these poppies
 photo DSCN6119j_zpshrwzblz1.jpg
Someone had some pretty Iris. I should ask neighbours for a few, do you think that would be rude?
 photo DSCN6112h_zpsdixywxvb.jpg
 photo DSCN6108h_zpse11pbtmo.jpg
I don't have that pretty violet colour or the purple with white
 photo DSCN6111g_zpsrwystxda.jpg
Some people have wonderful Rhodedendrons. Mine don't bloom and don't grow even though I feed them. Maybe they need more sun but I don't believe that as they grow in woodlands in England.
 photo DSCN6104_zpsegaiahlj.jpg
 photo DSCN6106g_zpsx9rdt3wc.jpg
I definatley want some of these.
 photo DSCN6109_zpsjoyaarob.jpg
 photo DSCN6109h_zpsgmt0fh75.jpg
Maybe just a few watercolours to add today
 photo 103_4646_zpsqfvwjht2.jpg
 photo 103_4645_zpsdyyhfzhq.jpg
 photo 103_4647_zpsoq15j56b.jpg
I can never remember what I have already shared.
 photo 103_4649_zpsholcm7at.jpg
 photo 103_4655_zpsow2jpprs.jpg
Also I must share my African Violets. They are blooming really well and still looking good and healthy. Never fails to surprise me.
 photo 103_4644_zpszllt8ff4.jpg
 photo 103_4643_zpsce3qidce.jpg
 photo 103_4642_zpsvgmh11iw.jpg
I don't know what I am doing right but whatever it is they seem to thrive.
 photo 103_4641_zpsofopxz3n.jpg
 photo 103_4640_zpse987vltn.jpg
 photo 103_4639_zpsxdquoixt.jpg
If I had room I would get more but the table is full. They don't do well in any other place so I will just leave things be.