Fresh and New

 A fresh new year, and a fresh new start....i love the sense of new beginnings that this time brings.... and the tidying away of the xmas decorations and arranging of new things that i received from my dearies is always a new year pleasure......the blossom in the sweet new greengate jug above is from a tree in our front garden that blooms almost all year round...

                          ....some new sewing pretties came my way and will be put to good use ......

 

 .....and some delightful new pip china ......there is a jolly little robin in the garden today too, just like this one...i love the vivid colours and the textures of this design, and the stripes and the clever mix of new and vintage style...

 ........soon there will be more baking.... once the recent feasting has been recovered from.... and this sweet book will be inspiring me.......

 ..........i've been working hard since yesterday when Mr P went back to work and so did i.....my studio has been de-christmassed and some new bulbs have been brought in (yet to open, but almost there).....

 ....the light changes all the time, from a bright sunny spell first thing to grey and silvery and then to deep dark cloud......

 ....i have lots of illustrations to do, and my new book projects to make and write about, and my new stripy crochet blanket is growing amazingly fast, as many of you predicted, i love doing the stripes too :-))....will take a picture of it very soon.....

......wishing you all a happy first week of January...thanks so much for dropping in to see me and for everyone who follows and comments a big ThAnK YoU.....keep cosy and have a wonderful week....i'll be back soon xxxxxxxx

Crafty New Year

 The winter hearts here are some i made to add to gifts this christmas....scented with pot pourri or dotted with a fragrant winter scented oil, they are a sweet little extra to put inside a package, or hide in the pocket of a bag or other gift.....

                                                 ......or to hang on the outside of a gift bag......

 One of the best crafty things in 2011 for me was finally learning to crochet......and i have been making granny squares in my spare moments ever since that hot sunny day when i first began.......

 ........i made this cushion as a present  for one of my dearies who just loves pastel shades......

 ......and a bright one, below being wrapped up on my desk......having enjoyed the granny square for quite a few projects, i have now decided to move on to a granny stripe so will be back to show you that in the new year.........

 ......there is a big pile of fabric waiting in my studio for a whole host of exciting new projects....this year i will be working on my next book, well i already am, but it takes a while ;-) .......i love the thought of so much crafty creativity stretching ahead over the coming months....the feeling is one of real happiness......

 ....i wish you the same feeling of joy and happiness in your creative world this year too.......

Thank you for reading my blog during 2011 and for your very sweet comments and emails.....blogging is so much more than i realised when i began and i love to visit all of you around the world and share a little of your creative lives too....wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a wonderful, inspired and creative year ahead....back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Happy New Year

Hello to everyone who visits me here and Happy New Year to each and every one of you! I hope you have had a wonderful holiday, and are ready to greet the world again after the 'bit inbetween'. For me the New Year always has to have some flowering bulbs - as many as possible, and then I feel like spring is almost here..

Little cross stitch plant pokes designed for my earlier books come in very handy for decorating my pots of flowering bulbs...so do tags produced for magazine commissions (time I got on with some of those now that the holiday is almost over - I had a peek at my commissions board where I list everything  work-wise and realised it was high time I stopped lazing around eating chocolate and got on with some work again!)

I got this mat free with the lovely new making magazine and decided it summed up my attitude to each new year rather well so I decided to include it here. Making things is what makes me happy and keeps me happy come what may! The baboushka tape measure was a stitchy gift and the new fabrics will soon be cut out and sewn up...I can hardly wait!
I send you all the warmest of wishes for a happy, healthy, creative, fulfilling and generally wonderful 2011! Thank you for all your kind wishes and comments - and here's to another lovely year of blogging!! xxx