Amazing Sloth Jumper

Wow! just found this amazing Jumper for only £38! My friend is a big fan of sloths so think I know what I might get her for xmas....!!


It can be brought here:

http://eu.fab.com/sale/9589/product/182075/?fref=hardpin_type291&frefl=Pinterest_Hardpin&ltb=on&lg=1

Lychen, Funghi and Bearded Dragons

I took both of these pictures whilst on a walk in the forest nearbye.  Eventually we reached back to civiliation and we found a lovely pet shop with these beautiful bearded dragons which were so adorable, also the fish tanks were amazing too.  It has made me yearn for a pet even more!! It's so good that you can go and see them like that a bit like a cheap trip to the zoo :)

Wash day

I just loved the way that my sheets were blowing in the wind when they were hung out to dry :)

New Orchid and seedlings

The other day Mr Motley and I received a wonderful gift to add to our ever-growing collection of plants.

This is an unusual miniature orchid and basically we wanted to say a very big thank-you we love it!
We also have lots of seedlings sprouting up now on every windowsill making the house into an extension of the garden, which has a very 'good life' feel to it!

Currently we have a large number of lettuces, the ones that managed to avoid the frost, chillies, tomatoes, and sunflowers.

Not to mention all of the houseplants.....   we can't wait for some warm weather to arrive so we can really get going on the garden.

Lettuce seedlings vying for space amidst the cacti, scented geraniums and  amaryllis

In other news, the other crochet project that i began the other night (eventually it will be a blanket) is now well under way.  I got three balls of  random 3 colours, chenille style wool from the art,craft and bookshop called the works for £2.99.  I'm sure this won't be enough for a full size blanket, but I'm going to see how much this makes up, and then have a rummage to find some other wools that complement the weight and colours.

Scented geranium, resurrected from being killed off in the frost.

 Autumnal colours

I can't wait to post some delicious salads made from our home grown veg!

Tom and Barbara from BBC programme 'The Good Life'.

Recent Purchases

Ceramic 1930's Lady Bookends

These two Ladies were part of a larger Lot that came from the local auction house, I have no idea as to their providence but they are lovely nonetheless!

Below are three books that I found in a local charity shop.  The two novels are in quite a bad condition but for £1 for all three (!) I was pretty pleased.  The nature book has some fantastic faded illustrations, and scientific diagrams in that I intend to use for craft and scrap-booking purposes.  Usually I'll either scan the pages or if its in really bad condition will cut up the actual book.

Crochet Cushions and Crocuses

one of the beautiful yolk-egg yellow crocuses that has poppeed up in the garden

I have been working on a few crochet projects recently, the first was to use up some small balls of pink, cream and orange cotton that I found in the bottom of a craft chest whilst having a spring clean.

To begin with i started by making a large granny square that measures about a foot square, I decided that as it's only a small piece and I don't have any more yarn, that I would turn this into a cushion.

I am a bit of a hoarder and have quite a few bits of vintage fabric stashed away for just such projects, unfortunately my sewing machine isn't working at the moment so I have had to hand-stitch the entire project, making it take a lot longer than I initially anticipated! Anyway this square of fabric is an old off-cut from some Liberty curtain-weight fabric.  The My Little Pony motif was cut out from an old T-shirt that I don't wear any more and appliqued onto the other side.

Now all that's is left to do is to stuff it and assemble it together!  I will post pictures of the finished project :)

hand-stitched appliqued MLP Motif

some mushroom Hunting from months ago

Hi, just a quick update, haven't posted for ages as I've been so busy doing things here and there!

these are some pictures of last autumn Sept/October when we last went mushroom hunting and some of the haul that we found!

we laid them out like this to aid in the identification, despite only managing to identify a few of them!

I'm looking forward to the forthcoming fungi season, and springtime photography and walks here in the forest.

The Master Identifier!

Purple Amethyst

Black rook in rainy weather

On the stiff twig up there
Hunches a wet black rook
Arranging and rearranging its feathers in the rain.
I do not expect a miracle
Or an accident

To set the sight on fire
In my eye, nor seek
Any more in the desultory weather some design,
But let spotted leaves fall as they fall,
Without ceremony, or portent.

Although, I admit, I desire,
Occasionally, some backtalk
From the mute sky, I can't honestly complain:
A certain minor light may still
Lean incandescent

Out of kitchen table or chair
As if a celestial burning took
Possession of the most obtuse objects now and then --
Thus hallowing an interval
Otherwise inconsequent

By bestowing largesse, honor,
One might say love. At any rate, I now walk
Wary (for it could happen
Even in this dull, ruinous landscape); skeptical,
Yet politic; ignorant

Of whatever angel may choose to flare
Suddenly at my elbow. I only know that a rook
Ordering its black feathers can so shine
As to seize my senses, haul
My eyelids up, and grant

A brief respite from fear
Of total neutrality. With luck,
Trekking stubborn through this season
Of fatigue, I shall
Patch together a content

Of sorts. Miracles occur,
If you care to call those spasmodic
Tricks of radiance miracles. The wait's begun again,
The long wait for the angel,
For that rare, random descent.

Sylvia Plath

Most recent Painting with Acrylics

The art of Marco Mazzoni 2011

lazy post!

Little Dragon - Twice

XXYYXX - About You

14th Music - Take me there

some more nice chilled tunes to relax to whilst scrapbooking!

some cool covers that I cant stop listening to.....

Yael Naim  - Toxic
Bastille - Of the Night

Florence and the Machine - You've got the love
The Morning Benders - last night

Romeo and Juliet

My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite. 
(Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.139-41) 

Hidden Gardens

Bat for Lashes hits Cambridge!

Last Wednesday, Bat for lashes performed an amazingly intimate first UK set since over a year ago and it was brilliant!

She wore an unusual floor length perfectly tailored thin wool dress, adorned in deep jewelled green red and gold chinese designs, with matching headscarf.  The look was quite different to some of her older looks, e.g feather headresses lots of body and facepaint, although nevertheless it was stunning and memorable.

I think that this new look was heightened by her fresh short bouncy innocent looking bobbed hair.

********************

There were new songs from the upcoming album which were definitely faster and more dance-able!

There was also a new song called Laura, which was intense but hauntingly sincere and beautiful.

She is an amazing artist and it was a thorough privilege to get to see her live last week. 

Diamond Jubilee

This is the awesome vintage cocopops cereal packaging that has been re-instated for the Queens Diamond Jubilee!!

As a fan of all things vintage and coco-pops this is pretty epic, such a cute monkey!

Prabal Gurung 2012

Prabal Gurung Pre-Fall/Autumn 2012

Campaign video 

autumn 2012

Lime crime

Lime crime make-up

Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games 

Gorgeous Make-up brand Lime Crime, whimsically packaged featuring magical holographic unicorns and vegan brights, a new obsession of mine!

Snow White photo shoot using Lime Crime cosmetics.