Gadgets

I was asked the other day what kind of gadgets I use/like when I am crafting. It is an interesting question because I so rarely isolate what I use in those terms. They are not gadgets, they are tools and very often they are cobbled together as and when I need them.

Spinning - I use no gadgets. Except a ball winder, very useful for the centre pull ball that is so hard to achieve any other way.I have to travel to the Guild for that though as I do not posess one, and they are rather expensive really. I have read that you can do the same with a nostepinne (cheaper by far) but I don't have one of those.

Felting - love dry felting and needles are always in demand as I break them so often. Especially the fine ones which are what I use most frequently.

Knitting - I made myself some stitch markers ( and Nicole sent me some beauties) so I always use them. There is something about these cute little beady things that makes them collectable isn't it? A row counter would also come in handy :)

Crochet - I like Surina wooden crochet hooks. I have the very chunky ones but none in the finer guages. I have metal for that but there is something so pleasing about the feel of the wood. Silky almost.

Angelina Fibre - not a gadget but such a treat to have in the work basket and a little goes a very long way indeed.

I like all kinds of sheepy stuff, dragons, lions, cats, hedgehogs. And that is all I can think of at this time of night. I'm off to bed right now :)

Nos da Cariad

Ouch!

Do you see the vertiginous heels I was wearing when I was dressed up as Audrey? Three and a half inches at least. Well, I wore them on Saturday too to a hen night. I danced a little bit and today I cannot move. I managed to wrench a tendon down my right leg and I am stuffed for running, dancing and even spinning. Rats :(

So I am sittin' and knittin' and not much else. I have to rest as I am dancing on Friday at Martyn's out reach meeting and I may be dancing as part of the streetwork going on on Saturday. And if I dance on a wrenched hip I am looking at serious trouble.

The kidlings have torn upstairs apart and I don't care 'cos I can't see it. At least until tonight when I haul my sorry carcass upstairs and pass out in horror at the mayhem.

No spinning for the rest of the week! How will I live?

The good news is that V has rented Happy Feet for us to watch. At least somebody will dance today.

Waiting

Took a friend to casualty today. She dropped a monitor on her foot, as you do, and needed to check out the swelling. They got her through triage very quickly. It was the x ray that took the time. Equipped with my knitting I didn't mind but I had forgotten how bleak waiting rooms are. There were no magazines and the TV had a cage over it, something I had never seen before.

There were the leftovers of a hard Saturday night in Swansea. Three truly massive men, bar room brawlers or doormen, hard to tell really and one of them had been glassed in the face. Crikey I thought, could you imagine the size of the bloke that would glass the likes of him?
Apparently though it was a woman that had attacked him and his mates were laughing at him like a pair of school girls. They thought it was hilarious. They sobered up a bit when they had to phone his mum but they were back to the giggles soon after. He took it good spirit considering his lip was in half.

I sat there with my knitting (Cobweb, yes still) and thought about how I had wanted to be a nurse when I was a young woman. Not on your life would I do the job now.

My friend was fine, just bruised. But due, we think, to the litigious society in which we now live, the doctor, despite all his many years of training would not confirm that the bone was not broken. Rest and painkillers were prescribed. If it gets worse, come back.

So no bones broken and I got two humungus rows of cobweb done. Good news all round, except for that poor brawler who got seven stitches and a flea in his ear from a tired staff nurse.

Farewell Party

Last night we sent to Todd and Steph's farewell party. They are off for a year back to the US to raise support for their work here. They are both close friends of ours and will leave a huge gap in our lives. I could get quite down if I think about it too much, so to liven us up and to say goodbye in style, Sara organised a Hollywood themed party.
Any chance we get in Church on the Move to dress up is pounced on with glee. V went as a character from the Matrix and he looked pretty good. There was an Indiana Jones complete with muddy shoes and a whip! I was very impressed. There was a Betty Boop, a Dolly Parton, a few Reservoir Dogs - looking quite alarming for such delightful young men - there was an Austin Powers - very scary, Jessica Rabbit and Steven Spielberg to name a few. And I, in a fit of nerve, went as Audrey Hepburn. Nothing like aiming high!


So on with the LBD, cigarette holder, long black evening gloves, pearls and some truly funky earrings. I darkened my hair and away to go. I think any woman in her thirties hits the spot with that look and I was pretty pleased with the effect.

Today I am off to St Annes Church to have a look at the Hobbies and Passtime exhibition. They are raising funds so might as well hand over a few bob to keep the old place going. It is a beautiful church and a landmark in the village where I grew up. I thought about taking the wheel to show. I might, might not.

Friday Five

1. Tea or coffee?
Depends on the time of day. First thing, breakfast and elevenses need fresh coffee. All other times require tea. Especially after meals and any other time I need a cup. I am a tea junkie.

2. Do you speak your mind?
If the occasion demands it. I am generally pretty sharp tongued and try to keep that under control.

3. What is your escape?
Reading, writing, poetry, places in my head to visualise - a walled garden or a head land by the sea being my favourites.

4. When is the last time you cried?
Last night actually. I cry often, over an astonishing array of things.

5. What are your bedtime rituals?
Heck, I'm just glad I'm going to bed. Umm. Cocoa or warm milk and honey, brush teeth, read, oblivion and if I'm unlucky, two hours later - insomnia.
Such is life :)

Thursday - Love is all Around

This was taken one evening at Ffald Y Brenin. There is a lovely wood fire there and Lily and I curled up in front of it. The wood was crackling gently and the scent of the smoke was whispering autumn all through the room. I was so sleepy I nodded off holding her. Nothing like a nice warm cuddly baby to make you feel soporific.

Well, That's All Over...

Phew! Haven't read that hard for a long time. Settled down to some serious Pottering. Read it in about 24 hours and I think it's the best she's done since the first one. I loved shell cottage, favourite bit actually and the dragon. And as for that one dying in the end. I was so annoyed I actually shouted at the book. But they were a favourite of mine...what can I say? And as for Snape...oh my gosh, but I knew that too. It was good seeing all the taily bits being woven in.

I'm off now to read all seven right through just to get the flow again.
ttfn

Miles of Silk!

It will become a bag eventually
honest!

more silk!

I am still plugging away with the seascape lace weight. It takes a deal of spinning and this is easily the finest thread I have ever spun. It is taking ages! So I don't suppose I'll be speaking much about that until I'm done which should be about 2009 sometime :)

I haven't done the felt bag yet. It'll probably sit there for a bit the way a half finished project usually does. Making me feel guilty until I get tired of it and away we go in a blur of activity.

Aside from that I am slowly getting things together for the America trip. Getting quietly excited about it and in the same breath quite sad. Odd really. I am longing to go, I've always wanted to see America, but I have never been so long away from Wales since I first came to live here as a child. I will miss the whole of August. Balckberrying, harvest, such as it is with the rain we've been having. The leaves will have started to change by the time we get back and it will be the turn of the season.

How much though we will have to tell! Stephanie says that internet access is limited where they are and I must believe her. But I am hopeful that I will be able to find an internet cafe somewhere on our travels and keep the blog updated. I cannot take the wheel, cannot take too many books, no spinning, no blogging and no knitting, on the plane at least - eight hours! No knitting, what the heck am I going to do?
And I must leave my family and friends behind while I swan off into the west. Leaving behind all my attachments and addictions in one go. Oh dear...

Still, at least I've got V and the kidlings. And it will be warm. I could stand a little sun right now.

Ffald Y Brenin Pictures

Just seein this sign at the bottom of the drive makes me feel like I've come home

The craft room

Mountain view from craft room

Hello Again

Well, that was great fun. Three days of teaching on the prophetic, creativity , vision and dance.
The late nights chatting meant that it has taken me a day to get my sleep back!

I was particularly pleased with the dance, considering that I have not taught for at least a year and it is utter chutzpah on my part to lead a dance class as I am not a dancer. But people started moving in worship and that was just wonderful.

I got a fair bit of spinning done too as we gathered in the main room together and no one minded that I quietly span while the teaching went on. And I knitted up the kermit merino into a satisfactory rectangle ready for felting and lining to make into a bag. At least I will have one handmade pressie to give at Christmas time.

I wish V had not lost the camera, well, mislaid it really. But pics up soon.
Til then...ttfn

Ffald Y Brenin

Off tomorrow to our favourite retreat for a few days, until Saturday I think.

Ffald y Brenin means Fold of the King, (do check out the link - fantastic photos) It is high in the middle of the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokshire. No traffic, no noise. Just red kites (birds)and silence and the presence of God like a blanket around us. It is one of the most amazing places on Earth. I kid you not.

There is a fantastic craft room there with tons of space so I am taking the wheel and I will sit and spin , looking out at the valley below while soaking up the peace that passes all understanding and tea and biscuits in roughly equal quantities.
I am doing a teaching on spirit dance, that is - worship through dance. It has been years since I have taught. We will have to see how it goes.
Now I have packing to do and printing of notes to get going with. See you soon. Take care.
Nos da cariad

One Deep Breath - Bodies of Water

I knew that science was not for me when I asked my physics teacher why clouds were not heavy when they had so much water in them. I failed in the most thorough way to understand a word of his patient instruction. I love science, the patterns that I know are there but cannot understand no matter how I try. I'll stick to poetry. A girl has got to know her limitations - unlike clouds...

No one has told them
they are not supposed to fly.
Water floating by.

For more bodies of water check out ODB here

Just a Bit More Yarn...

Plied Kermit Merino Chunky

Seascape Tussah Silk. Roving spun into lace weight.

These yarns are everything I love about spinning. Texture, colour, vibrancy, luxury and usefulness. There is not a hobby like it.

Don't forget...

Jump Twosday over at Patois' place.

Again, another warning. Don't go if you're nervous :)

Spinning Day!

Don't you wish you lived here?

Bunking off to Sharons today to glamourous Upper Cwmtwrch. To sit by the river that runs through her garden and spin and knit and chat and drink tea and talk wool. I'll take my camera and hopefully, if the batteries play along I'll have something to show later on.

Finished spinning the kermit merino. Plied up quite nicely really, not perfect but good enough for rock music. Sharon is an expert felter and probably deserves the title fibre artist as she has that edge of vision which I so admire and yet lack so obviously! But she is very generous and allows me to pick her brain at any time. And for this I will take chocolate walnut brownies, which due to my recent disasters with Iolo's cookies, is all that I have the confidence to make right now.

TTFN my lovlies !

Update 21.50 same day
Confession
I didn't take brownies...or cookies. I ran out of time. But I took soup...tinned I'm afraid. I'll lose my Nigella badge if I'm not careful. Sorry Sharon, but there is always next time. After America!

Okay, now I know ...What Animal I was in a Past Life

You Were a Koala

You value living life at a slow, peaceful, meditative pace. You give insightful advice, helping others to overcome obstacles.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

My New Button

This is what my clever husband made for me






Please feel free to take it if you like

Now that is what I call a bad dream

6.30 am, not as early as most times they wake me but still. Rose wanders in sobbing
"Mummy I've had a bad dream."
Snuggle under the duvet, mop up tears...
"Tell me all about it darling."
"Well, I was swimming in the sea and an octopus grabbed me with one of his testicles."
I beg your pardon?
No, it was not a typo.

Hey, It's Sunny!

Wheeee! Look at that yellow thing in the sky! Haven't seen that in a while.
That's it. No spinning for me today. I'm off down Neath to check out what the nutters in Church on the Move are doing on the town square. See ya later!

Additional below

Went to town to help V and Uncle Daisy do some street work. The carnival was on today and town was packed. We spoke to relatively few people but the ones we did.

A drug addicted ex convict currently living rough in the old abbey until the winter at which point he normally commits some not too bad crime, gets caught and jailed through the winter to be released when the weather gets fine again.He says it suits him. Catholic boy, prays, likes God, didn't want a cup of tea or a hot meal, just wanted to say hi I think.

And the man suffering depression with his little girl on his knee, slowly and undemonstratively weeping into her hair as Daisy prayed for him.

And the wonderful woman that encouraged me so. She was profoundly disabled, partially sighted, wheelchair bound, withered arm and a speech impediment but her mind was as light and agile as a butterfly. I am happy she said. I don't need prayer. We chatted for a little while and she gave me a bag of malteasers when she left. She blessed me with more than chocolate.

We are doing another one next month, just before the American trip. Possible dancing, drums and banners. I am looking forward to it

Just remembered this covers an item in my 101 in a 1001 days : no 70

Fibre Swap!

I've never done a fibre swap before.This one is organised by Spindle and Wheel, a spinning e zine but is open to fibre crafters and artists of all description; knitters, weavers, felters etc. I am plotting possible goodies to send already. What fun!