Wildlife camera (Video)

More Camera video

I just couldn't wait to show you this video so this is a really really short post.

We did think that we had more than one barn owl residing in our byre. However, we were overjoyed to see this video today which captured both of them, together. We have no idea where they live and if they are a family, oh it would be wonderful to see some little owlets. 

Christmas is Coming

Christmas Decorations

Christmas doesn't officially begin in our house until December so this week we gathered together all our decorations and started the job of adorning trees. We have always added to our pot of decorations each year and when we first got married we would choose one new bauble each. In recent years we have made decorations which have arrived in a variety of forms.

   

Mum bought me a kit to make a silver bauble where pieces of material are folded and then pinned into a polystyrene egg. It was quick and easy to make so I got some more material and made another in bright green and red.

   

One year we embarked on a Fimo modelling clay session and had a lot of fun making labels for all our presents and a few decorations with the obligatory glitter glue of course. Having a huge stash of buttons meant I could make a few little button Christmas trees, very quick and easy to construct.

Decoupache is a fun way to decorate and at this time of year M's NOEL is always on display.

   

A little while ago I posted a picture of the wooden owl M made and mentioned he was also making some Christmas decorations. Well, tah dah! he made these lovely little snowmen who are now sitting comfortably in our tree.

He was having a lot of fun and made these larger snowmen and a Santa Claus for outside.

  

Don't they look wonderful and the Wendy house looks all Christmassy too.

About a year ago I bought this Kirstie Allsopp kit but as we have had such a busy spring and summer we never got around to trying it out.

Until, a couple of weeks ago M decided to cut some logs and try making some little tree hangings.

 

And another little NOEL which looks great under our light arch. I'm feeling a bit guilty as I have yet to contribute to the decorations this year but I still have a couple of weeks to add my own touch.

So the trees is up and looks very pretty although this picture really doesn't do it justice. We just need to complete the picture with a couple of presents and we'll be ready for the big day.

Happy Christmas everyone.

Crafty beginnings

Needlework

For as long as I can remember my mum has knitted, crocheted and sewn, she is an amazingly crafty woman who will try any kind of craft at least once. I have yet to reach her skills levels in any craft and for many years my only form of crafting was needlework, mainly cross stitch. I had planned to tell you about how I've recently embarked on new crafts but I got a bit carried away in a period of reminiscing and found lots of my old projects. So I thought I'd indulge myself for a few minutes but I'll keep this short and sweet.

 

These were the first cross stitches I ever did, I can't remember quite when that was but I was probably about 11 or 12 years old. They were little kits that really didn't take too long to complete and got me used to working with an embroidery hoop.

This was the first big needlework picture I completed and mum and dad very kindly got it framed for me. It was a wool tapestry; as a child I always loved having this on my bedroom wall and it now hangs proudly in my little craft room.

I have always done cross stitch in fits and spurts, becoming obsessed with it and then leaving projects for months and sometimes years before returning to them. I have quite a few which still haven't been framed and to be honest I'd almost forgotten about them. I love elephants and really enjoyed this cross stitch (again another kit) and maybe one day it will hang on our wall.

 

Sometimes I find it difficult to complete some projects and found these little kits which took no time at all to finish, long before I got distracted by other projects.

This was one of the most difficult cross stitches I have ever done. Instead of counted cross stitch it was printed on cotton and was so time consuming trying to find exactly where the needle should go. I did finally get it finished but perhaps I should have ironed it before taking the picture.

One of the nicest cross stitches I have done was one of the county of Worcestershire which I gifted to a lovely couple on their 40th wedding anniversary, unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of it framed.

 

I started a couple of cross stitches a few years ago and they have become a bit of a standing joke in our house. One was an engagement picture which I bought when we got engaged and another of Venice where we spent our honeymoon 12 years ago. Unfortunately, as you can probably tell, they have been folded up and kept in a bag for quite a while.

 

Hopefully one day I may find the enthusiasm to get them finished. I'm embarrassed to say that I also found another few half completed needlework projects which I had forgotten about, including this long stitch wool tapestry. I received a beautiful cross stitch of a black Labrador for my birthday last month and can feel the urge to return to my first ever form of craft. Obviously I have lots to catch up on and get finished off.