dottyspots

… this site is wonderful

Found on on of my friend’s blog at: http://esther-reeves.livejournal.com/

… go and look. I first saw them ages ago, but came across the link in my Favourites folder again and thought I’d share: Camille Allen.

… this. One of a number of links on this website.

An Irish Craftworker has been needlefelting lovely stars She also makes felt birds, fish and bowls (I really like the birds).

Yes I really should stop mooning over other people’s talent and get off my bum a bit more and do some more for myself, but it is so much easier drooling over other people’s work

Funnily enough, yesterday I had a mini splurge at Ottakars yesterday and bought R. and me (as R. wants to have a go) a book on Feltmaking and a Beginners Guide to Stumpwork. I also bought Vols. 11, 12 and 13 of Ultimate X-Men

R. had an appt. with an Ed. Psych yesterday and I will be complaining She asked questions as if R. wasn’t sitting next to me and at one point told me that: “Children cannot be taught at home.” When I pointed out that R. had been taught at home for a good few years now, she said, “So the LEA has arranged a tutor.”

NO! NO! NO!

Arrrrrghhhh!

So I quoted some law at her, but don’t hold out much hope on the report at the multi-agency meeting next week.

Ho hum.

*Still* I know that the two of the people who will be at the meeting are supporting HE, although a possible p/t attendance at school is possible (and tempting at times). It’s all so up-in-the-air atm.

Still, grrrrrr to bloody annoying psychs.

I feel really boring and repetitive saying that we’re really busy here - because I know I say that every single time. It is busy, but to brighten things up a bit, I have a few photos:

On a walk out blackberrying, Erk took a picture of a swan from the lane. We found 3lb of blackberries - although we could’ve picked more, but didn’t bring more containers. There were also sloes, loads of elderberries (some of which I’ll go back for) and a few early hazelnuts, with the promise of more to come.

Erk and his friends regularly visit some friendly horses and ponies across the river:

Rik’s had a few days off so has been ‘catching up’ with various things, like painting with Nin. These were ‘blow paintings’, where they blobbed paint on and then blew it out into patterns with a straw (yes that is a Spear of Destiny t-shirt he’s wearing, for anyone who is straining to see).

I made jam with the blackberries (adding some apple to it) and these are going with the stash of pickled beetroot and squash chutney. I need to pickle some more beetroot and get down to what is now probably a rather pitiful allotment, as the rain has put me off going down there. I need to put in some kohl rabi, but have recently started making enquiries about finding a small piece of land instead. The plan is to share it between a few local families and the hope is that we can have a few goats, another family want some bees and the idea of a couple of pigs has been tossed around, amongst other things, so enquiries are being made. It’s a big step, but I’ve wanted goats since I was a girl (I really love them) and so, for me it would be better and I would transfer ‘growing stuff’, which has sort of put the allotment up in the air atm as I’d prefer to share a space that I could keep animals on.

Also HEADS UP on an order. I’m planning to place an order with Kate Quinn Organics (the clothing that I included a few posts ago) again. If anyone would like to add anything in particular to the order (size or colour-wise) do have a look at her website and let me know and I’ll make a note to add it.

This site has some wonderful doll patterns - but it’s worth just looking at the pictures too (under patterns)!

……. talented people with eatable blog design.

Like Heather Bailey. Jealous? Moi? Humph

I’ve been wasting a goodly amount of time (that I could’ve spent finishing a sock) having a look and being very inspired by some of the fab blogs that are out there. Do go and visit her blog, it’s not only lovely to look at, but interesting too!

Linked to from there is: Wee Wonderfuls with some truly wonderful wee creations!

Enjoy!

Hmmmm, there are some wonderful things on this site!

Jealous? Moi?

Still feeling a bit ropey - but it appears I’m in for painful Braxton Hicks from now on (joy!) I have a low blood count and the doctor has prescribed me 600mcg of iron a day (?!) which I think, if nothing else, is enough to guarantee constipation in anyone, let alone a pg. woman who might be more prone to it anyway - guess who had a discussion about iron with the M/W today that went along the lines of, “I will not be taking that much iron in supplements a day.” The b/c is 10.something-or-other, I think if I up my iron intake from iron rich foods and make sure I wash it down with some orange juice (or similar) I should be fine - after all, I am pregnant which does tend to suggest a naturally lower blood count anyway. (I don’t like guiness - before someone else suggests it - in many ways I would rather drink my own wee

This was posted on the EO list in response to a discussion about creationism vs. evolution - it’s quick to load (which is a bonus when you’re on dial-up like me).

At Thursday’s group we made lanterns:

Which look lovely all lit up.

A picture of the kids.

If anyone didn’t believe me when I said that Nin always helps do the cleaning!

With everything that’s been going on I forgot to mention the Home Ed. Handcrafts Team Blog which a few of us from Muddle Puddle are contributing to.

R. is really keen to get on to the Epic of Gilgamesh (as he got the book, along with others, for his birthday). At the moment we’re reading Wolf Brother, which I would heartedly recommend for children who aren’t too easily upset (or possibly just older children, bearing in mind the boys are 9 and 11). We’re all really enjoying it.

I’ve been busy making soup out of surplus butternut squash and plan to turn what tomatoes are left (whether ripe or no) into tomato relish tomorrow. Also on the cards is piccalilli - maybe of Friday - because it beats anything you can buy in the shop hands down. It looks like we need a bit of a baking session tomorrow to use up some eggs too!

R. has spent the day reading about algae and then staring into next-door’s pond (which has had a heron visiting it), followed by more Norwegian practice (he tried the next CD and got annoyed because the recordings were in sentences, so a bit more challenging). He’s hoping to buy some nice Lyra pencils when I next put in an order for the group.

Anyway, I’d better get on as my belly is a bit achey.

These were posted on a forum I’m a member of (Waldorf_Craft) and I thought that some might really enjoy them:

Felted Apple

Knitted Gingerbread Man

Knitted Pumpkin

Knitted Meringue Pie

Knitted Strawberry

Misc. Knitted Baby Fruit & Veggie rattles

Various crochet patterns for food

Just in case any of you were stuck for stocking fillers…….

Now I must learn to crochet……