Music still plays a major part in their lives.
From the first note of Hubert Parry’s “I Was Glad” as Laura came down the aisle – sang by the 3 choirs who wanted to sing from the heart to this special couple – to the last note of Eric Clapton’s “If I saw you in Heaven” as the new Armstong’s left the reception, the day was filled with music and the love it has brought them.
Even the best version of “The Teddy Bears Picnic” I have ever heard was sung during the afternoon.

In the evening a Ceilidh band played as all joined in the dancing and festivities. Roger and I managed a, not too bad, Rumba when we joined the newly weds for the the first dance of the evening and we even joined in on The Lovers Knot, the first dance played by the band. It was great fun to watch as people danced frantically to the great music, laughing as they got tangled up or caught the wrong partner.

It was a very special day filled with love from both families and the wonderful friends Laura and Toby have gathered around themselves.
Even the sun joined in the fun and shone brightly for the afternoon and evening.

Laura’s dress was a gorgeous gold colour set off by the bright red of the bridesmaids dresses and the Gerbera’s in the flower arrangements.
The bride and bridesmaids wore gorgeous matching pendants made by the fabulous artist Zuda Gay.
I didn’t wear a hat but, although you can’t see them here, had sparkling jewels in my hair.

I may be biased but it was definitely the very best wedding I have been to.

The first arch here is my May arch for Arleee.
When I made this I was doing Terri Stegmiller’s Paper Quilt Explorations course and it definitely influenced this arch.

Arlee said she liked “funky” Baroque” and “hot colours”
Well these are cool colours, but there is a touch of baroque in the centre jewel and I think it is very funky.
Arlee liked it and that’s what matters ;0)

The second arch was my June arch for Kate.
She said she likes autumn colours and vintage people (dressed or not!)
Well vintage nudes are just my thing.
I had some lovely autumnal fabrics and added a little touch of lace.
The one thing I think it lacked was a feather.
So I am now on the hunt for some lovely feathers.

Oh yes, Kate liked it ;0)

Over the years I have done quite a few altered books.
I found it really hard to get started with them.
I tried, I really did, to see them as being recycled from an unloved object to a loved one.
I tried not to feel guilty as I “defaced” a book.

All these things add up for someone with a unconditional love of books. I love them in any state you see.
New and smelling of print ink. Old and smelling musty. With pictures in them. With just words in them. Fiction, non-fiction, scientific.
Pages intact. Pages dropping out. Leather bound or paper back. Just any book really.

Being married to a book collector is wonderful to me. My family despair of us and our books.

So I thought that somewhere along the line I would understand why so many people want to alter books. And I think they look fantastic.
Don’t get me wrong, I love what you all do with them. I love to see the finished artwork.
But I get palpitations each time I take a paintbrush to one myself.
Roger has encouraged me and brought books home for me that he thinks are just right to be recycled. But I fall in love with that silly book and
just can’t hurt it.

So facing the truth I find that I just cannot alter books. I came to this conclusion just after I signed up for an altered mini board book swap. The pictures here are probably my last attempt at an altered book.

I was happy with the finished results even though it turned out darker than I expected and not my usual colours at all.

It did remind me that I do like to use rubber stamps and that I really do love to make embellishments like the one on the front made from a piece of mica tile.

You never know I may give it another go in the future but for now the only books I will be “altering” are sketch books and note books.

On a brighter note as you can see my little kitty bag is finished.
I love him, he is so bright and such fun to use.
My favourite part is his head, I just love his big beady eyes and brightly coloured cheeks.
I gave him a hooked over tail as all the cats we have had have walked with their up like this. We call it trolley bussing! LOL

I haven’t got my bag for the wedding yet. It would give everyone a big smile if I used this don’t you think!!

These are the colours I started out thinking I would use.
As you can see by the layout one 2 of them changed.
I was really excited about it when I saw all the pieces pinned together awaiting quilting.

There is a lot of quilting in this project and it took quite a while but the class isn’t rushed and I had plenty of time to keep up.

Once quilted it takes on a character of it’s own. It becomes a sturdy piece of fabric and the texture is great.
I used threads for the quilting that matched quite closely but, it would change the look and colour if contrasting thread was used. Next sack forming in my mind.

I love the little points on the front and back. It gives the cat a little tiger feel.

The head was next so watch for that ;0)

I did forget that on Terri’s Paper Quilting Class I also made this!
I call it Asian Squares.

The background is painted mulberry paper. The larger squares are scrapbook papers and the smaller squares are a mixture of scrapbook paper and painted mulberry paper, all of which have some script or Asian design on them.

The embellishments are Asian coins, beads and mini game pieces stitched on to the base.

I have mounted it onto board and am now looking for a suitable frame for it.

I did forget that on Terri’s Paper Quilting Class I also made this!
I call it Asian Squares.

The background is painted mulberry paper. The larger squares are scrapbook papers and the smaller squares are a mixture of scrapbook paper and painted mulberry paper, all of which have some script or Asian design on them.

The embellishments are Asian coins, beads and mini game pieces stitched on to the base.

I have mounted it onto board and am now looking for a suitable frame for it.

I did forget that on Terri’s Paper Quilting Class I also made this!
I call it Asian Squares.

The background is painted mulberry paper. The larger squares are scrapbook papers and the smaller squares are a mixture of scrapbook paper and painted mulberry paper, all of which have some script or Asian design on them.

The embellishments are Asian coins, beads and mini game pieces stitched on to the base.

I have mounted it onto board and am now looking for a suitable frame for it.

At the moment I am just allowing my self to be lead along by some wonderful artists.
For example, Sue Bleiweiss and her Journal Making Class, Terri Stegmiller and her Paper Quilting Class and at the moment Michelle Verbeek and her Cat Sack Class.

When I started writing this blog my intention was to use it as a record of the things I make and do.
It was initially for myself.
Then I stated to have visitors and what a boost that gave me.
Then I started to make friends and that was an even bigger boost.
I love to read what you think of my work and trips. I love criticism as long as it is constructive and I find you all so helpful.
Thank you for calling in here.

So for myself and for anyone who would like to see, I will start to post the things I am up to again and hopefully my muse may see that I am worth returning too – I hope ;0)

First, I think I should show the things I made at the end of Terri’s Paper Quilting class.
I really enjoyed Terri’s class and have lots of ideas written down, I just have to find a way to bring the ideas to life.

One of the last things I made was a little box. At the time I had to make a box for a swap with a Fantasy theme. The two things came together and the Magic Box was born.
Hiding in a pocket on the front is a key that opens the lock to the secret garden.
I had fun with this project and it reminded me how much I love to make little embellishments like the key.
I made a note of this, with my ideas, in one of the journals I created in Sue’s class.

The very last, but certainly not least, project in Terri’s class was to make a little book. I made a book with watercolour paper and cartridge paper inside to encourage me to draw and paint. It has worked a little as there are some scribblings in it now.
We used painted and stamped mulberry paper for the cover. It has a lovely texture and I think that is why I pick it up often.

Well, I mean, what is a girl supposed to do in this situation?
I decided to have an away day of my own ;0)

It may seem a little silly to go for a day out on a Saturday in a tourist area but, actually, it can work to your advantage.
Saturday is “change over day” and most people are on the roads going home or arriving.
A ten minute drive from the main road through the steep sided valley of Exmoor leads to a paradise where you don’t see another human being for hours.

We’ve had a heavy sea mist this weekend that was very dramatic so we took ourselves off to the Heddon Valley. You have to know that the cliffs around here are some of the highest on the English coast but, there is a track way that climbs gently to the top that even I can manage to climb.
It was a wonderful climb too. Through the trees with the valley dropping down on one side. Fred (dog) thought it was great to trot backwards and forwards through the grass and peep through the trees.
When we got back down we had some lunch at Hunters Inn and chatted to some lovely people.
It was very relaxing and I think my batteries are recharged enough to go hunt for the Muses!

The mist stayed all day and through yesterday and is still here today. That is OK with me as it looks fantastic don’t you think?!