Flower fairies, train sets and The Season Corner

Today has been a day to dress as a flower fairy (Imogen that is, not me) and adorning our season corner with the Lavender Flower Child finally finished. Before she arrived on the season corner, she went for a walk in the garden to gather some lavender in her basket and spend some time amongst the daisies ... I can't think of a better way to spend the day.


A restful day at home today continued indoors playing with the train set and all the extra wooden toys that like to play there too, the helicopter uses the shed as it's landing space and the police car patrols the area. Imogen's forest is a fun play area for the people and animals, although the animals also like to wander into the fields (our cardboard addition), and the tractor is out there working the other field.

Sunshine, park and wool!

Glorious sunshine again, we really are getting a Summer this year! Various things going on over the weekend including visiting a contemporary crafts show where my Spinning teacher was displaying and selling her handwoven rugs. It was lovely to catch up with her and tell her of my progress.

Talking of spinning, I have finally got the skeins into balls and started some knitting. With the Jacobs wool I'm going to knit just a sampler as that's my first spun wool and perhaps a scarf as it has uneven thickness. I wasn't sure what to start with the other wool, however when asked at the weekend by Imogen what I was going to knit, both her and Daddy came up with a "sheep" at the same time ... so a sheep is what I will knit. Seems quite apt to knit a sheep from 100% sheep's wool, why not, so that's what is on the needles at the moment.

Thank you for the lovely comments I've had about my spinning, they really bring a smile to my face. I do love spinning and can't believe I've not been doing it for very long, it feels like I've been doing it for ages, but only really started after my tuition day with Hilary which was 9th June, so about 3 weeks.
I've been thinking about your questions Liz and will reply, just want to think about what has helped me, and yes I find some wools easier to spin with - watch this space, I will post some thoughts this week.
Anyway some photos ...

Another hot sunny day today, so we meandered off to the library and then the park before retreating home for a cool relax this afternoon. We were spotting Swallows and Swifts today swooping around the sky, and correctly identifying Sparrows, Coal Tits and Pied Wagtails. This girl knows her birds. Off to spinning group this evening. Will probably post in the next few days.
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine.

What Mommy did this week ...

On top of all the other things we do and have done this week, I have spent some time spinning. Since going to the Guild meeting last Saturday and picking up the 2 lovely fleeces - Poll Dorset and a Jacobs, I have been to my Monday evening spinning group which I am really enjoying. This week I learnt how to spin using the long draw method, which was quite different to what I thought and I actually picked it up quite easily.

I have sorted through and removed any rubbish from the Jacobs fleece but haven't done the Dorset one yet. Here are some pictures of the fleece, followed by some pictures of my spun wool.

Jacobs whole fleece for sorting

Lovely crimp and staple of the Jacobs wool

Hampshire Down spun

Hampshire Down on the Niddy Noddy

Ready for washing

Drying on the line

This is some spun up fleece that we have had for ages - not sure on the breed (will try and find out), it wasn't spinning too well initially but now I have the hang of it, I really like the colour.

Raw fleece
on the Bobbin

I think I shall make some of the skeins into balls this weekend and perhaps knit up some as a sample. My spinning is really improving and the thickness is becoming far more even.

I find it an immensely relaxing craft.

What we did this week ...

This week has again been gloriously hot and sunny so a lot of time has been spent outdoors. We go to Tumblebugs and swimming every week, and the library of course. This week we have also been down to the park by the river (see previous post about being on the slide), and generally out and about. Here are a few photo's from when indoors followed by some from today outdoors where the weather was very different.

Helping Mommy dismantle the spare bed -
replaced with futon (which was stored underneath)
to give us more space in the spare room

Drawing a Beaver (must add a post of lots of her pictures of animals - I think they are really good for her age)

being a robot

doing some yoga
(excuse the mess!)

trying a new hairstyle

Last night it rained ... a lot. Brilliant as we haven't had any for ages and the plants are thirsty! Hopefully it's filled the water butts at the allotment for when it's dry again, and hopefully everything had a good drink last night and this morning where it was still raining.

We went out today to buy some new shoes, and dressed appropriately so that we could splash in some puddles. We had a little upset when Mommy left her umbrella on the bus, I felt rather bad about it, especially when she looked at herself on the mirror at the shoe shop and the bottom lip went. Silly Mommy we said. She got over it by buying new shoes and thinking that "a little girl might find it and use it and then they will be happy and dry", how sweet.

Ready to go out

Off to catch the bus

A bit wet?

Splashing in puddles

And there was a happy ending to the tale of the umbrella, I went to the lost property place at the bus station (just in case), and yes you guessed it ... the umbrella was there! I didn't think it would be so was surprised but pleased that we went to try. On the way home Imogen said how she could tell Daddy all about the umbrella being lost and found again, and about her new shoes when he comes home from work.

Fathers Day gift revealed

I can now reveal the embroidered picture I did for Daddy based on an early picture by Imogen of her Daddy. This has always been one of Daddy's favourite pictures of himself as drawn by Imogen so I thought it would make a lovely gift. We also bought him some chocolate and Imogen made a glittery card (not sure where it is though) and some pictures on paper plates.
Daddy was very pleased with his presents. Happy Fathers Day Alex.

This is the original picture drawn by Imogen quite a while ago now

And here is it transferred onto fabric, embroidered
and mounted on a square canvas frame
I transferred her writing Daddy onto it too

Inspiration for this was from here

At the park in pictures

Imogen loves going to the park, like many children.We went there this morning as it was a gorgeous sunny day, and went on the slides all different ways (as we do!) ...

We went this normal way and that way

and this way
and that way
and this way
and that way and then we climbed up and we took a little rest

Then a quick trip to one of the local libraries and home for lunch.

What I made for the Season swap

And here is what I made for the season swap

Selection of flowers, butterflies and ladybirds

Boxed, ready to send last Monday

My favourite - the lavender
(probably my favourite flowers)

Exploding champagne!!! and other weekend stuff

Well nearly ... no actually yes one did blow it's bottle top off when Alex was releasing some of the pressure out of them. At least we know the Elderflower champagne is working, and we couldn't resist a little taste as the bottle had lost some anyway ... and it was gorgeous. Perhaps a little too fizzy at the moment, which we hope will settle down while it sits another couple of weeks.

Worth the wait, based on the taste over the weekend.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

On Saturday I went to the Spinning Guild meeting and had a lovely day meeting all the lovely ladies in the Guild. It was busy, I never realised there were so many people in the guild so it was great to meet them all and chat. A great opportunity to pick up a sheep's fleece too - a Poll Dorset which is a lovely soft wool and I can't wait to start spinning with it.

Alex and Imogen spent the day at Manor Farm and Alex picked up another fleece for me there - a Jacobs fleece. I really like the Jacobs fleece - I just love all the colours and it's nice and soft and has a long staple (length) to spin.

On Sunday we went to the allotment, more harvesting and more planting and a fair bit of watering since we are getting no rain at the moment and haven't had much recently. Still everything is looking good. No pictures this week though as I didn't get round to taking any.

And of course it was Fathers Day, so Alex had his presents and card from Imogen which were all really appreciated (see other post).

Season swap and corner

Just a quick post to show off our lovely season swap gift from "spacefamily" at GP. The carrot and strawberries are lovely and the flower card is too!. All on our season corner, or being played with!

Our craft swap carrot and strawberries

Summer season corner (so far)

I've a few more bits to pop on the season corner sometime 0 the tree is far too bare and needs some flowers, and I have a Summer Flower Girl in the making but not quite finished. Will update again soon.

Happy Fathers Day to Daddy, will put up a picture of his gift later as he hasn't opened it yet, waiting for him to return from the allotment where we will all be going after lunch. Daddy and Imogen spent a lovely day together yesterday whilst I was at the local spinners Guild meeting, and buying sheep's fleece! More on that later too ...