Stephanie's Blog

Crochet stitches

2011-12-01T10:19:00.002Z

There are lots of free patterns available on the web.

Just google " free crochet pattern"

If you are in the UK though, you may find slight differences in the pattern stitches.

Here is a translation between UK and USA;

There is a chart below for translating crochet patterns written in British English crochet terms into American English crochet terms. For example, a double crochet in British English is made the same way as a single crochet in American English (it is just called by two different names).

Some antique patterns published in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s use British English crochet pattern terms also. In any pattern or publication, there is usually a section giving a description of the way each stitch is made and you can determine by that if the double crochet, for instance, is a British English or an American English double crochet. Then you'll know if that entire publication is written in British or in American English crochet terms.

Translating Crochet Terms Between British and American English

British vs American English Crochet Patterns
British English	USA - American English
double crochet (dc)	single crochet (sc)
half treble (htr)	half double crochet (hdc)
treble (tr)	double crochet (dc)
double treble (dtr)	treble (tr)
triple treble (trtr)	double treble (dtr)
miss	skip
tension	gauge
yarn over hook (yoh)	yarn over (yo)

The chart is from http://crochet.about.com

This is a great site for freebies, I searched for shawl patterns.

http://www.bigcrafty.com/2007/03/16/55-free-shawl-patterns-to-knit-and-crochet/

Felt Soaps

2011-11-20T07:56:00.002Z

This is a great tutorial about making felt soaps.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cprush13/3095835710/in/set-72157610960283974

Once the felt is on the soap, the little parcels have to be laid out to dry for a couple of hours.

Random Yarn Pics

2011-11-17T08:32:00.003Z

Using handspun yarns is a wonderful way to create a completely unique garment.

Even using a commercial pattern, your knitting or crochet will be one of a kind.

You can buy beautifuls yarn from ETSY.. just search for handspun.

Happy knitting x

Lots of Hugs

2011-11-15T20:33:00.003Z

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive

without human affection.

H H Dalai Lama

Lavenham Guild & Wingham Wool Works

2011-11-03T11:11:00.006Z

Saturday was a wonderful day of spinning and chatting.

The Lavenham Guild of Spinners Weavers and Dyers, in conjunction with

Wingham Wool Works

http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk

held a day of sampling.

Everyone took their own spinning wheel and there were free samples to try out.

I tried Yak, Camel, Soya, Mohair, Cut Linen, Silk, Recycled Sari silk, Milk fibre and several different types of sheep fleece.

I also ordered a travelling wheel as my Ashford Elizabeth is a bit too

cumbersome to put in the car.

My choice was a Kromski Sonata, the one on the right of the picture above.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and I would like to thank the Lavenham Guild and Wingham Wool Works for arranging such a fun day.

2011-11-03T07:53:00.001Z

Inspiration

2011-11-02T15:28:00.000Z

"A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm. But a tree cannot grow roots just as the storm appears on the horizon."

-HH The Dalai Lama

Glorious Yarn

2011-10-19T19:20:00.002+01:00

Just took this quiz which tells you what sort of knitter you are

http://www.knittingbrain.com/personality.php

My result was Artistic Knitter

Part of the result read:

You probably have a weakness for novelty yarns and have a stash of yarn that you bought on impulse!

Your impulsive approach can sometimes lead you in to difficulties..

( Who me? Whose been telling tales ? )

Weeping Pear Tree

2011-10-18T16:25:00.004+01:00

This tree has produced a fruit at last.

The tree was in the garden when we moved in and although it was quite tall and bushy has never had any fruit on it for the 5 years we've been here.

Its lovely and droopy with silvery green leaves and thin branches that reach to the ground.

I had no idea what sort of tree it was but have now identified it due to its little fruit!

I found this info:

Pyrus salicifolia pendula

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1585

Pyrus are deciduous trees or shrubs with oval leaves and scented white flowers in spring, followed by green or brown fruits, edible in some species

'Pendula' is an elegant small deciduous tree with slender weeping branches, narrow greyish leaves and creamy-white flowers followed by small, brownish fruits

Also known as Weeping silver pear

Ravelry and Crochet

2011-10-13T16:51:00.006+01:00

I found this lovely crochet ruffle scarf on RAVELRY.

Ravelry is a wonderful online group for all fibre related arts and crafts.

this is from the site:

"Ravelry is a place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, weavers and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration. The content here is all user- driven; we as a community make the site what it is. Ravelry is a great place for you to keep notes about your projects, see what other people are making, find the perfect pattern and connect with people who love to play with yarn from all over the world in our forums."

find out more at :

www.Ravelry.com

Free patterns galore!

You can find the pattern for this pretty scarf at:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/soft-linen-crochet-ruffle-scarf

Definitely one for me to start.

The designer is Kristen Tendyke, her blog is here:

http://www.kristentendyke.com/

I love the colours of this scarf.

Brightlingsea

2011-10-12T09:18:00.002+01:00

Saturday was slightly overcast in the morning but turned into a beautiful day.

We walked the dogs along the Essex coastline of Brightlingsea.

2011-10-07T12:35:00.006+01:00

A beautiful Mandala made with fibres and felted

by Phillipe Puryer

From the Forest Fibres site

www.forestfibres.co.uk

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

~ HH The Dalai Lama

Windy Day

2011-10-06T18:38:00.004+01:00

Its been a very windy day here today, quite a contrast to the still, hot weather of the weekend.

The wind plays gentle tunes on my wind chimes and brings a cleansing feeling to the day.

Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds.
Buddha

The Cloth Whisperer and Tashi Lhunpo Monks

2011-10-05T18:05:00.011+01:00

http://www.linda-matthews.com/

Linda sends out a weekly newsletter every Wednesday, well worth a look!

If you click on the link , you can sign up for it.

Its inspirational as well as creative.

Thank you Diana for introducing me to this lovely craft source!

Only as high as I reach can I grow,

only as far as I seek can I go,

only as deep as I look can I see,

only as much as I dream can I be

Karen Ravn

Some great news from Diss :

Diss Museum's Manning commemoration,

Friends in High Places, comes to a climax this month with the visit of the

Tashi Lhunpo monks.

This is a rare chance to experience the music and art of one of the world's most fascinating and mystical cultures.

From Monday 24th to Saturday 29th the monks will be at the Corn Hall making a beautiful sand mandala.

You can drop in any time during the day to see its progress and

then come to the destruction ceremony at 11am on the Saturday.

On the Tuesday evening at 7.30 there is a hands-on workshop when you can try butter sculpture, mandala making, Tibetan script and prayer flag making.

On the Wednesday at 7.30pm you can see the film Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion.

There is a supper workshop on the Friday at 7.30pm, with traditional food made by the monks, followed by dance, debate, mudras (symbolic hand gestures) and Kundrik prayer.

The concert on the Saturday at 7.30pm shows their sacred music, dance and prayers,

all in traditional costumes and masks.

This is one of the best cultural events to come to Diss in years and is not to be missed.

Family and season tickets are available.

For more information, phone the box office on 01379 652241, pick up a leaflet at the Corn Hall or museum or see www.disscornhall.co.uk or www.disscommunity.net

A Potato Drop Spindle?

2011-09-29T11:43:00.002+01:00

How a potato can help you choose a drop-spindle

Top-whorl, bottom-whorl, rim-weighted, centre-weighted, heavy or light… when you’re beginning to learn to spin it can be hard to decide which drop spindle is best for you and for the yarn you want to spin. Spindle preference is very personal, and if you aren’t fortunate enough to live near a spinning supply store or have a spinning friend with several spindles you can try, you may find you are spending money on a drop-spindle that is less than optimal for your style. Or you may want to try your hand at spinning to see if it’s for you, but don’t want to end up with costly tools you might not use.

So how can you try out many kinds of spindles to find the best style for you, without travelling miles to a store or spending a fortune? The tool is probably in your kitchen right now… a potato. If you don’t have a potato, maybe you have an apple, which will work just as well.

For more info see the original article here :

http://abigailscraftshowto.com/2010/02/how-a-potato-can-help-you-choose-a-drop-spindle/

Young Blackbird

2011-09-27T18:43:00.001+01:00

This young Blackbird spent the day in my garden waiting for his mum to come for him.

He was quite unconcerned that I took his photo.

2011-09-13T11:06:00.000+01:00

This dog is having FUN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=cqxTUxzOceE&feature=youtube_gdata_plaJ

Next week be Talk like a Pirate day :-)

2011-09-13T11:00:00.003+01:00

I have added this notice to my blog as I think its fun ~ so read on me hearties.


Quack! Brian the Duck here, Mad Cap'n Tom's faithful companion. Talk Like A Pirate Day 2011 is a week away, and this, me hearties, be your reminder!

Information about this year's Day can be found at the original American pirate guys' site,http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

(I regret the Cap'n cannot send this message himself; he sailed away from Mevagissey under mysterious circumstances earlier this year, leaving me behind and with no-one knowing his destination. The press clipping can be seen at http://www.yarr.org.uk - if he doesn't return by Pirate Day, he's left me a message to send out to the world.)

Fair winds, smooth sailin', and may your feathers always be preened,

-- Brian the Duck

Dolls and Babies

2011-09-05T11:59:00.003+01:00

I've been painting reborn babies for quite some time now and thought I should put some pictures on here.

Its lovely to see the new baby once they are finished and dressed.

Some of them start life as an ordinary vinyl playdoll, others come from a vinyl kit.

Many layers of paint are put on the vinyl to get the most realistic skin tones.

I use Genesis heat set oil paints and find they work very well for me.

Friday Yoga

2011-09-02T16:41:00.004+01:00

Friday morning is yoga class.

Yoga makes me feel really good all over.

Our class is quite small and our teacher is wonderful. She always seems to know the sort of moves we need most. I often wake up and think I really dont want to go today! Something aches or I have a lot to do ... all sorts of excuses....but when I get there I remember why I go as often as I can.

I always feel much better after my class than before it.

We are lucky to have Chrissie Bond as our teacher, you can check out her website here :

http://www.chrissiebondyoga.com/

Life is......

2011-09-01T12:46:00.006+01:00

My dear friend Debbie sent me this by email today and I thought it was definitely worth sharing.

I have changed the pictures though and some of the words!

I've learned....That life is like a roll of toilet paper.

The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned....That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned...That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned....That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I've learned....That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned that the less time I have to work, the more things I get done.

Tell your friends how much you care.

And show your friends how much you care.

Spread some love.

Back home

2011-08-31T08:50:00.002+01:00

We have just returned home after a peaceful few days away. It was truly peaceful as even our mobile phones didn't work.

We enjoyed long walks with the dogs and we felt free of the everyday pressures of life.

It reminded me of the beautiful writings of Thich Naht Hahn.

"Look at anything natural, like a bird, a plant or the sky.

Enjoy the sense of beauty as you become mindful of it."

paraphrased from Thich Naht Hahn's Mindfulness.

Thrumming

2011-08-26T09:16:00.002+01:00

Thrumming is a new word to me, I thought it may have had something to do with guitars :-)

But no, it is the art of knitting rovings inside a garment for added warmth.

There is a great tutorial on the Yarn Harlot's blog

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/thrumfaq.html

This is a picture of a pair of mittens from the blog post. One right side out, the other is the inside. That must be so very warm.

Grandma Punk's website has some interesting info about thrumming too:

http://grandmapunk.com/2010/01/12/knitting-to-the-beat-of-my-own-thrum/

This pic is from Knit me a River blog

http://knitmeariver.blogspot.com/2009/01/thrumming.html

There is so much great information on blogs , now I have another project for my beautiful rovings.

Pieces of Friendship

2011-08-24T15:23:00.005+01:00

My needlefelted piece ended up like this!

I joined a great online yahoo group called Pieces of Friendship

The members of the group make jigsaw pieces to swap with each other, similar to an ATC swap but with these amazing jigsaw shaped pieces which measure 4 inches by 4 inches.

Won't it look lovely to have lots of different styles of work put together as a jigsaw.

You can check out the group here: Piecesoffriendship@yahoogroups.com

I also made some random pieces using felt and strands of wool then beaded them.

This is the brooch I made using the same technique.

As you can see, I am having fun!

Felting fun.

2011-08-21T16:55:00.005+01:00

Last week was the Sandringham Art, Craft and Sculpture show .

There was so much to see and do but I was looking for the real craft workers.

It seems a common thread that at many of these larger shows there is a majority of bought in goods, they may be pretty but they are not handmade.

I found some really lovely stalls though and was especially interested in the felting demos.

Creative Bumble Bee has workshops and demos throughout the country

You can check out her amazing feltwork at

www.creativebumblebee.co.uk

I bought some lovely merino tops from her.

Two lovely ladies had a stall between them and one was using her felting machine. They had lots of lovely bags for sale and some amazing hand dyed rovings.

This is the pack I bought ~~~What gorgeous colours!

My embellishing machine has arrived, so I have been playing with the rovings.

This is the reverse side of the piece I had neeedlefelted, I liked it better than the front.

I'm adding more texture and colour, this is where I am now.....

Alpacas and Bees

2011-08-20T17:55:00.007+01:00

The weather today has been glorious, just right for the long awaited open day at our local Alpaca farm.

The West Suffolk Bee Society were there with bees on display and were very interesting to listen to . I learnt today that if bees gather pollen from Rapeseed flowers it is impossible to keep the honey from setting. So, in this area where we have many fields of Rapeseed, it is difficult to find the lovely dark runny honey.

The beautiful Alpacas were the main attraction and certainly caused more than a few aaahs..

They frolicked and played and rolled about in the dry soft soil for a luxurious "bath" completely un-fased by the strangers in their midst!

These Alpacas are not pets and they are allowed to live as natural a life as possible without much human interference, but they still run up to their keeper when he bangs the feed tin.

I love the shop on the farm. It is full of wonderful natural dyes and fabulous fibres!

Stunningly soft alpaca wool and a myriad of coloured tops. I was in felting heaven!

All the wool is dyed on the premises using plant dyes.

It was great to see Madder, Woad, Weld , Marigolds etc all growing in their lovely organic gardens.

The Weld plant produces a brilliant yellow colour and if it is mixed with the woad plant a beautiful green is made.

This is the Woad plant and below that is the beautiful blue colour produced from it.

Instructions for Life

2011-01-19T16:47:00.002Z

Instructions For Life

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

1) Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2) When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3) Follow the three R's; Respect for self. Respect for others. Responsibility for all your actions.

4) Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5) Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6) Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7) When you realise you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8) Spend some time alone every day.

9) Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10) Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11) Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12) A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13) In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14) Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15) Be gentle with the earth.

16) Once a year, go somewhere you've never been before.

17) Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18) Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19) Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Christmas thoughts!

2010-12-10T16:34:00.001Z

Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes."
~ Joan Winmill Brown, American author and editor.

More Frost !

2010-12-08T19:56:00.003Z

This is a picture that my friend Ingrid took of her garden shrubs. The frost is harsh but beautiful!

Jack Frost

2010-12-07T09:11:00.003Z

It is minus 7 here this morning and the garden looks beautiful. The trees are white and almost solid with frost, and the fences and gates are laced with spider webs.

I wonder what happens to the spiders when their homes are like this?

2010-12-06T16:17:00.002Z

The Elephant and the Fly

2010-12-06T15:35:00.008Z

The Elephant and the Fly ~ By Remez Sasson

A disciple and his teacher were walking through the forest. The disciple was disturbed by the fact that his mind was in constant unrest.

He asked his teacher: "Why most people's minds are restless, and only a few possess a calm mind? What can one do to still the mind?"

The teacher looked at the disciple, smiled and said:
"I will tell you a story. An elephant was standing and picking leaves from a tree. A small fly came, flying and buzzing near his ear. The elephant waved it away with his long ears. Then the fly came again, and the elephant waved it away once more".

This was repeated several times. Then the elephant asked the fly:
"Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can't you stay for a while in one place?"

The fly answered: "I am attracted to whatever I see, hear or smell. My five senses pull me constantly in all directions and I cannot resist them. What is your secret? How can you stay so calm and still?"

The elephant stopped eating and said:
"My five senses do not rule my attention. Whatever I do, I get immersed in it. Now that I am eating, I am completely immersed in eating. In this way I can enjoy my food and chew it better. I rule and control my attention, and not the other way around."

Upon hearing these words, the disciple's eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on his face. He looked at his teacher and said:

"I understand! If my five senses are in control of my mind and attention, then my mind is in constant unrest. If I am in charge of my five senses and attention, then my mind becomes calm".

"Yes, that's right", answered the teacher, " The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your attention, and you control your mind".

2010-12-05T14:16:00.003Z

There is more to life than increasing its speed. ~ Mahatma Ghandi

I still have some more of these lovely vintage images, all you have to do to use them in your artwork is to right click and save. I hope you enjoy them x

December Already!!

2010-12-04T14:34:00.006Z

I have been neglecting my blog again!

So many months have gone by since I last posted anything and we are into December already !

I really like this Christmas postcard of a faithful, but very bored,

poodle tied up out side a shop whilst her owner goes gift shopping.

So whilst looking at Poodles, I thought I would hunt around and see what interesting stamps were about and these caught my eye.

They are available through :

http://www.do gstampsplus.com/christmas.htm

As I was searching I found this lovely picture of Dove.

Her story can be found here :

http://dogs.about.com/u/sty/dogbreedprofiles/poodle_pets/Dove-a-Miniature-Poodle.htm

Have a great day x

A Native American Legend.

2010-03-20T10:23:00.003Z

The Creator gathers all the animals and says:

"I want to hide something from humans until they are ready for it -

the realisation that they create their own reality."

"Give it to me. I'll fly it to the moon," says the eagle.

"No, one day soon they will go there and find it."

"How about the bottom of the ocean?" asks the salmon.

"No, they will find it there, too."

"I will bury it in the great plains," says the buffalo.

"They will soon dig and find it here."

"Put it inside them," says the wise grandmother mole.

"Done," says the Creator. "It's the last place they will look."

Stop seeking and you will find.

Forks Over Knives – The Official Movie Website

2010-03-16T11:40:00.005Z

The feature film Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.

Do check this video out, its very interesting and could be important for many health reasons.

Forks Over Knives – The Official Movie Website

Is Spring here at last?

2010-03-16T11:40:00.003Z

It is a beautiful day here today. The sun is shining and the dogs are playing in the garden. Rosie, my little poodle has taken to carrying a pink squeaky toy around with her and just loves to play fetch with it. At least while she has the toy in her mouth she isn't yapping :-)

I found this lovely old wedding picture and thought it would be nice for a spring deco.

2010-03-05T17:05:00.000Z

2010-03-05T09:50:00.000Z

2010-02-06T14:34:00.000Z

Life according to Peanuts!

2010-01-27T09:20:00.001Z

I was sent this today and thought it was worth sharing.

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.
You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies.. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials..
the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most

'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!'
''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"

Freebies

2010-01-22T13:31:00.003Z

Here are some lovely ladies for your crafts. Have a great day!

Where did December go?

2009-12-27T10:10:00.004Z

Just love this card I was sent!

Where did December go? It all seems to have been a bit of a blur!

The winter solstice has come and gone and Christmas day presents have been opened and enjoyed.

My hands and arms are still tingly and numb so no craft for me for a while but here are some nice photos for you to use.

First day of December!

2009-12-01T07:31:00.004Z

The first day of December brings out the best in most people as they realise just how near to Christmas we are! The shops are full of decorations and gift ideas and neighbouring houses are starting to decorate already! There is an air of excitement around.

Its too early for me though, I usually put up the decorations nearer the middle of December.

I love these vintage cards, I hope you can use them.

Vintage Beauty.

2009-11-06T17:16:00.002Z

Its seems a long time since I've blogged, so I thought a beautiful vintage lady would be nice!

Vintage Swaps

2009-09-20T21:49:00.003+01:00

Thank you for all your really great work on the Vintage artist trading cards, I know you will all love your return swaps.

I will pop them in the post tomorrow so hopefully you will get them soon. There has been a few postal strikes but I think they have stopped for the time being so it should be safe to post them.

Have a great week and enjoy your art !

ATC SWAPS

2009-09-04T09:55:00.002+01:00

This months artist trading card swap is VINTAGE and the closing date is the 15th September.

After the September swap I will not be doing any more for a while. When and if I can start again I will announce it on my blog. I want to say a huge thank you to all the swappers who have contributed and wish you all continued crafting happiness.

Much love, Stephanie x

Vintage Ladies

2009-08-17T13:55:00.004+01:00

3 lovely vintage pictures for your craftwork, just right click and save!

Floral Artist Trading Card Swap

2009-07-19T17:17:00.003+01:00

The Floral ATC swap will be posted out on Monday morning.

Once again, thank you all for joining in. I hope your returns bring a touch of summer to your collections. The rain here has certainly kept the gardens green and the flowers in bloom.

Definately some of the best bits about England are the pretty gardens and the lovely english flowers.

The next swap will be in September and will be on a Vintage theme. I have decided not to have an August swap as so many people will be on holiday.

I am enclosing with your swaps the details of another monthly swap that was sent to me. I hope you decide to send some off but please dont forget this one :-)

I hope everyone has a great summer and enjoys their holidays wherever they are !

Floral ATC

2009-07-17T10:08:00.003+01:00

The theme for this months ATC swap was Floral.

This is a finished one of mine made for the swap. The technique was quite an easy one; the backing is card, onto this I laid a page from a vintage gardening book and cut it to size. The pages from this book are very old and yellowed so get used a lot, especially when I am doing a vintage theme. I bought the book from a charity shop and love it!

I used a green ink pad to wipe around the edge of the card . I like to do this as it gives another dimension and adds to the aged look. It bleeds gently into the paper and finishes off the edges. My favourite colours to use for this are ochre and brown or other oldish looking shades but it will work just as well for a bright and zingy card with lovely vivid colours. Sometimes I then dip the edges into embossing powder and give it a zap with my heat gun, but for these ATCs I decided to leave them with just the hint of colour.

I then took a playing card which had flowers on the face, cut it in half diagonally and glued it to the front of the card, leaving a gap around the edge and through the middle.

The little leaves that I stuck randomly down one side are punched from a variety of different coloured papers. Inexpensive but effective!

I hope you like my design. Today I am sorting all the ATCs out and will get them in the post on Monday. Have a great and Arty day x

Free Downloadable Images.

2009-07-15T11:42:00.002+01:00

Here are some lovely vintage ladies to use in your artwork. Just right click on them and save. Resized they are great for artist trading cards, zap pages or Decos.

Have a great day and enjoy your art !

ATC Swap - Wild Animals

2009-06-23T17:31:00.005+01:00

Thank you for taking part in this months swap which was Wild Animals. As always a great selection of Artist Trading Cards arrived , and due to my hand still being a bit sore , my friend Ingrid came over and has sorted out all your return swaps and they will be in the post tomorrow morning.
The next months swaps are as follows :
JULY - FLORAL
AUGUST is a month off as most people in the UK have their annual holidays then.
SEPTEMBER - VINTAGE
OCTOBER - AUTUMN

These are all mixed media swaps and are 4 for 4

I have scanned a selection of this months ATCs and the picture is above. I havent added the pics to the photo page that I usually put them on due to a problem with bandwidth.
I hope you are enjoying great weather and having some fun with your crafts.

2009-06-21T07:59:00.002+01:00

I love this picture from 1908, I hope you can use it in your craft work!

I had this email sent to me today and I would like to share it with you all, have a great day x

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6 You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save them for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over-prepare, and then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative--dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

***

Honey Bees

2009-06-17T08:32:00.009+01:00

The weather was warm and sunny before the storm and it was a pleasure to sit in the garden in the sun. A couple of days ago, I heard a faint buzzing which got louder and louder and as I looked up I could see that the sky was black with insects. Time to get indoors quick!

As the cloud subsided I was able to go out and see what had caused it; a swarm of honey bees had taken up residence in my plastic compost bin.

I telephoned the local council who gave me the number of a beekeeper who came round with a swarm box. It was fascinating to watch as the bees soon decided that this wooden box was a far nicer place to live than my compost bin!

The box was left here for two days and then collected once the swarm had taken up residence in their temporary home, then they were transported to a hive in Tuddenham where they will live out their rather short lives.

I think the bees may have been attracted to this lovely yellow Buddleia tree in my garden.

Honey bees are very clever and the gentleman who collected my swarm was a mine of interesting information and he brought me and my neighbour a jar of his home made honey.

So I would like to give a big thank you to all Suffolk Beekeepers.

http://www.suffolkbeekeepers.co.uk/

http://www.britishbee.org.uk/index.php

ATCs and general ramblings!

2009-06-16T10:15:00.003+01:00

Well, I cant believe its Artist Trading Card time again! I have one more set to receive then I'll be ready to swap them out for you all.

I wont be making any myself this month as I had an accident and badly bruised my right hand, so no crafts for me for a while. Its amazing how you adapt and I've become quite good at left hand typing :-) The swelling is going down now so hopefully I'll be back crafting soon.

Yesterday, after brilliant sunshine here for several days, we had a storm. The noise from the hailstones was unbelievable and it looked just as if it had been snowing!

The picture is from my front window looking out at the hail, it was far too stormy to go outside and take the picture!

ATC swap - Oriental

2009-05-17T13:40:00.009+01:00

I would like to give a very warm welcome to this month's new players.

Thank you for joining in and I hope you enjoyed the theme.

Our May swap was "Oriental" .

I have sorted them all out so that your swaps will be in the post on Monday morning.

As always, I enjoyed seeing your interpretations of the theme and I hope you all enjoyed it and that you will enjoy your returns.

The individual ATCs have been photographed and can be seen here :http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses

The next swap is "WILD ANIMALS"
which as always is open to new players as well as the regulars.
Closing date is the 15th JUNE and it is a 4 for 4 swap.

I am enclosing another ATC swap letter in some of your envelopes. Its a great way to get lots of ATCs. I am still receiving them from all over the world because of the last letter we had.

You just need to send out 6 ATCs to the names on the list and sit back and wait for the ATCs to arrive!

Have a great week and enjoy your art!

Vintage Lady

2009-05-15T07:48:00.002+01:00

I think this vintage picture is lovely so I thought it may be useful for your artwork.

Just right click and save!

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. - Proust
Its raining here, just what the flowers need!

Light a Candle

2009-05-07T07:14:00.002+01:00

Light a Candle.

In many different traditions lighting candles is a sacred action. It expresses more than words can express. It has to do with gratefulness. From time immemorial, people have lit candles in sacred places. Why should cyberspace not be sacred?
You may want to begin or end your day by the sacred ritual of lighting a candle on this website. Or you may want to light a birthday candle for a friend. One single guideline is all you need: Slow down and do it with full attention. From here on, you will be guided step by step.

http://www..gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=eng

Birds of a Feather ATC Swap.

2009-04-15T12:29:00.005+01:00

I hope everyone had a peaceful and happy time at Easter.

I have just changed my countdown banner to a Christmas one but dont panic - first we have the beautiful summer weather ahead of us!
Thank you all for your lovely ATCs, they have all been photographed and sorted and they will be posted out to you later today!

I am sorry but the images haven't turned out as clear as usual, by the time I had realised that my photographic skills weren't up to much, I had already put the ATCs in the envelopes ready to post.
This month we had the Birds of a Feather theme which must have been enjoyable as once again we got some great ATCs.
I have uploaded individual pics into our photo album which can be accessed here: http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses

I hope everyone enjoys their swaps.
The next swap is "ORIENTAL"

which as always is open to new players as well as the regulars.

Closing date is the 15th MAY and it is a 4 for 4 swap.

Have a great week and enjoy your art!

Grey Squirrels

2009-04-07T07:37:00.004+01:00

Abbey Gardens stand in the heart of Bury St Edmunds on the site of a great Benedictine abbey. The gardens contain magnificent floral displays and impressive ruins of the abbey.

They stand adjacent to St Edmundsbury cathedral that is only now in the final stages of completion after nearly 500 years with the addition of a central tower.

http://www.suffolkcam.co.uk/bury04052003.htm

If you sit on a park bench, the beautiful squirrels will come right up to you. They are a joy to watch as they play in the lovely grounds of the Abbey.

PROFESSOR ACORN SAYS.....
PLEASE HELP PROTECT ME FROM THE CONSERVATIONISTS AND DEFRA!

I am native by birth - condemned by origin

http://www.grey-squirrel.org.uk/

Lakenheath Fen

2009-03-31T10:15:00.002+01:00

Lakenheath Fen RSPB Bird reserve.

These pictures were taken on my mobile phone late afternoon yesterday.

This is a lovely place of calm and peace in Lakenheath.

At Lakenheath Fen, the RSPB has converted an area of arable farmland into a large wetland, consisting mainly of reedbeds and grazing marshes.

The new reedbeds have attracted hundreds of pairs of reed warblers and sedge warblers, as well as bearded tits and marsh harriers.

Bitterns have been seen increasingly in all seasons of the year.

In early summer, hobbies catch insects high over the marshes.

Golden orioles breed in the remnant poplar woods on the reserve, along with blackcaps, garden warblers and woodpeckers.

Barn owls and kingfishers are regularly seen during the winter months.

There is a new visitor centre where you can find out more about the reserve, its wildlife and history.

Find out more here:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lakenheathfen/about.asp

Family Tree

2009-03-24T09:47:00.002Z

I love searching for my ancestors and have spent many hours looking at Census and Birth Marriage and Death records. I use http://www.ancestry.com/ and http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/

After lots of searching I have found members of my family that I hadn't known existed. Its a lovely feeling. Now I can search quite quickly and have researched friend's trees as well.

Its always exciting and often sad when you find interesting information and really brings history to life. A friend sent me this via email;

The 1500's

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.

Here are some facts about the 1500s:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water..

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying It's raining cats and dogs.

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor.

The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance way. Hence the saying a thresh hold.

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat..
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

And that's the truth...Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !

Ribbons and Lace

2009-03-16T18:30:00.006Z

Thank you all for your lovely ATCs, today I have photographed and sorted them all and they will be posted tomorrow!

This month we had the Ribbon and Lace swap which turned out some great ATCs.

I have uploaded individual pics into our photo album which can be accessed here:
http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses
I hope everyone enjoys their swaps.

I have added a small goodie bag this month with your ATCs.
The next swap is "Birds of a Feather" which as always is open to new players as well as the regulars. Closing date is the 15th march and it is a 4 for 4 swap.
Have a great week and enjoy your art!

Ribbons and Lace

2009-03-07T17:36:00.003Z

The March ATC swap is Ribbons and Lace.

The closing date is 15th March and I have some really lovely cards arrive in the post already.

I'm sure all who participate will love their swaps. Its nice to work with things other than paper and ribbons are certainly a beautiful medium.

Some time ago, I was sent an ATC "pay it forward" letter. It involved sending out 6 ATCs to people on a list, then adding your own name and passing the letters on. Its been great! I have received lots of lovely ATCs from all over the world, I am so glad I participated!

The image I have for you to use in your art is a lovely 1920s girl with a rose and wearing pearls, I think it has a simple beauty about it.

As always, to use the picture just right click on it and click on copy!

March already!

2009-03-03T08:55:00.002Z

The window above the altar at St.Marys, Lakenheath.

I'm not really sure where those February days have gone! How nice that the weather is improving and the evenings are getting longer. My favourite time of the day is late afternoon when we take the dogs to the forest for their run. The beauty of the trees and the peaceful walk is a real tonic. The dogs are so funny to watch and they each have there own way of exploring.

Harry, my powderpuff, is on the look out for birds all the time and stands upright like a meercat trying to see one in the trees! She couldnt catch one if she tried though, as she is rather clumsy for such a small dog!

I have noticed that there seems to be a growing trend in Decos and ATCs for Cemetery Angels and the Gothic style that goes with them. Personally I prefer the vibrant colours of Stained Glass Windows.

I hope you enjoy these pictures.

Hoarding!

2009-02-19T08:30:00.003Z

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." William Morris

Its been quite warm here the past few days and that brings out the spring cleaning mode! I love William Morris's quote but its so difficult to follow.

Do you ever get that .. oh but it may be useful one day .. feeling whilst you are trying to clear out your art room? I do all the time and I have spurts of braveness when I can clear out some of my craft clutter! Luckily I have a friend who also crafts living nearby so I can validate my reason for getting rid of stuff ... " I know...I'll give it to Ingrid" saves me the sorrow of having to throw that "maybe useful" stuff away!! :-)

My little friend Prinny is playing with a biscuit in a shaft of sunlight!

***

"Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter."

D.H. Mondfleur

ATC swap February

2009-02-16T12:30:00.004Z

I cant believe its that time again, but the middle of February is already here and I have sorted all your ATCs and they will be posted later today or tomorrow morning.

It's always great fun to sort the cards out and everyone always loves Hearts!

I have uploaded individual pics into our photo album which can be accessed here:

http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses

I hope everyone enjoys their swaps.

The next swap is Ribbons and Lace which as always is open to new players as well as the regulars. Closing date is the 15th march and it is a 4 for 4 swap.

Have a great week and enjoy your art!

Vintage Ladies

2009-02-08T07:24:00.001Z

Another lovely postcard that you can use for your artwork.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner an English rose is perfect.

Just right click on the image and then save.!

Love knows no Boundaries.

2009-02-05T11:42:00.002Z

What a Wonderful World.

This u-tube video was sent to me, its lovely, I'm sure you'll enjoy it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rooyt3ptNco&feature=email

Video: Rescued cow and her newborn calf

2009-01-25T17:31:00.004Z

Click the link below to read great news of Clover, a pregnant dairy cow who was rescued from slaughter. Clover was taken in at the Sanctuary in December and gave birth to Bramble last Wednesday. Both mother and son are doing well.

Hillside Animal Sanctuary, which has a no breeding policy and rarely has births, is now enjoying its newest arrival - Bramble the calf.

The calf, which is still a little wobbly on his legs, has enchanted staff at the Frettenham-based charity after arriving out of the blue on Wednesday, January 14.

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/video/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=VIDEO&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=video&itemid=NOED17%20Jan%202009%2010%3A21%3A24%3A217

Two donkeys who are permanent residents at Hillside!

Hillside Animal Sanctuary is at Hill Top Farm, Hall Lane,

Frettenham, Norwich NR12 7LT

http://www.hillside.org.uk/

Gypsy Lady Postcard.

2009-01-24T17:36:00.002Z

This is a lovely image of a gypsy girl. You can right click on it and use it for your artwork.

Have a great weekend!

ATC Swap - WINGS

2009-01-19T15:23:00.003Z

Thank you all so much for joining in this months swaps, after the Christmas break it is nice to get back to art work again!

The picture above is a random collage of the ATCs received and the individual entries can be seen in the picture trail album here :http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses .

As always it was great fun sorting them all out and seeing all the different art work.

Your swap ATCs will be posted tomorrow so hopefully you will get them soon.

Next months swap is entitled HEARTS.

I look forward to seeing all your art work again.

The closing date is the 15th February.

Everyone welcome!

Vegan Fruit Cake

2009-01-18T19:50:00.003Z

This is a recipe for an eggless, fatless, sugarless rich fruit cake and its delicious!

So if you are watching your weight or have special dietary needs or even better perhaps you have decided to go Vegan, this is the cake for you.

Better be warned its very very more-ish!

Ingredients:
6 ounce brown flour ( if plain use 3 teaspoon baking powder)
2 ounce ground almonds
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 pound mixed fruit
4 ounce dates
4 ounce apricots.
The rind of 1 orange or lemon.
Half pint of water

2 tablespoon orange juice.

Soak the fruit in the liquid overnight, after chopping it to small pieces.
Then add the dry ingredients.
Bake in a 2 pound loaf tin for approximately One and a half hours at 160c,

covering the tin for the last 30 minutes.

Its as easy as that! Enjoy!

ATC swaps and thank you for all my lovely cards!

2009-01-17T12:05:00.006Z

I would just like to say how overwhelmed I was to receive so many cards and ATCs for Christmas!

Thank you all so much for being so thoughtful, they are all lovely and a great addition to my growing collection.

The group swap this month is entitled WINGS and I will be posting all your swaps out to you on Monday.

Once again it is very interesting to see the different interpretations on the theme.

I hope you all like your return swaps.

As you can see I have been very busy recently hence the lack of blog posts, but I'll try harder now and get back to regular blogging!

Have a great weekend!

Christmas Day in the Forest!

2009-01-17T11:57:00.005Z

It was a beautiful day here in Suffolk on Christmas Day. Here are some photos that I took whilst walking the dogs through the forest. As you can see the sun was out and it was quite bright. The dogs loved it and we all worked up an appetite for our Christmas dinner - vegan of course!

Happy Christmas to Crafters everywhere

2008-12-16T07:34:00.003Z

This poem was sent to me via email, I dont know who wrote it but I hope you enjoy it!

Twas the night before Christmas,
I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa has brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or chipboard or lace?
Or a Cricut, I said, with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him.
"Hi Santa, " I said.
"You know....good little girls should be in their beds."
"I know I should Santa,and now I've got caught.
But I was just so excitedTo see what you brought."
"Well, let's take a look in this room where you work.
He shook his head quickly,
And left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear.

"You've got enough crap, I'll see you next year!"

Christmas Trees and Turkeys.

2008-12-14T09:37:00.004Z

This is the Christmas tree at my friend Ingrid's house, it looks even prettier when it is lit up! I received a Christmas Card from my sponsored turkey Ollie :-)

He's called Ollie after my dear old Chinese Crested boy who passed on several years ago.

Ollie the Turkey is at Hen Heaven where he will spend the rest of his natural life scratching and strutting in the pasture to his hearts content along with lots of other turkeys and chickens.

He is only a young lad, he was rescued with about 60 other turkeys a couple of months ago.

If you can help Linda and her helpers in any way, she would be most grateful as Hen Heaven is run entirely on donations and volunteer work.

There are some great Calendars available for sale now and the website has been updated recently so there is lots more to look at.

Check it out here : http://www.henheaven.org/

International Animal Rights Day

2008-12-10T08:31:00.005Z

The Universal Declaration of Animal Rights - that animals have a right to life free from deliberately inflicted pain, suffering, exploitation and death - has been signed by large and small organisations representing hundreds of thousands of people in:

the UK, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA.

Check out UNCAGED's website for much more information :

http://www.uncaged.co.uk/iard.htm

Animal advocates up and down the country have joined the campaign; and the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights has also been signed by these British-based celebrities: Joanna Lumley, Hayley Mills, Benjamin Zephaniah, Michael Mansfield QC, Miriam Margoyles, Uri Geller, Carol Royle, Amanda Royle, David Shepherd OBE.

Look out for a candle lit vigil in your area and have a happy, cruelty free Animal Rights day x

Christmas Tree

2008-12-08T11:00:00.002Z

This is a Christmas Tree made out of beer cans that I spotted in a local garden.

I have to say this is the first one like this that I have seen.. very strange!!

Lady and Child Postcard.

2008-12-08T08:14:00.002Z

Here's another image for your artwork, just right click on it and select save.

Its a much milder day here in Suffolk today and we have no frost!

Yesterday was very cold.

We have our Christmas decorations up now and it looks a bit like Santas Grotto in the lounge!

Only 16 days left to Christmas, hasn't the year flown by!

Have a great Monday and enjoy your art!

Cultivate Peace

2008-12-08T08:03:00.002Z

It is estimated that one billion people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. That's roughly 100 times as many as those who actually die from these causes each year.
About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. This is down from 35,000 ten years ago, and 41,000 twenty years ago. Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.

With a simple, daily click of the yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Hunger Site, visitors help provide food to those in need. Visitors pay nothing. Food is paid for by the site's sponsors and distributed by Mercy Corps worldwide and by Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) to food banks throughout the United States. How You Can Help In Mere Seconds — Every Day.

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

Also on this site are buttons for The Rainforest, Mammograms, Adult literacy, Child Health and Animal Rescue.

Just a click every day helps.

Old Postcards

2008-11-29T10:20:00.003Z

Two great images for your artwork. Enjoy!

Its really cold and misty here today but a perfect day for art and craft :-)

Have a great day!

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your
problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the
ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”
Albert Ellis (1913 - 2007) American Psychologist

2008-11-27T13:57:00.002Z

Azalea Walk, Weald Country Park in Brentwood, Essex.

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.“
-Anne Frank

November's ATC swap - WINTER

2008-11-16T17:23:00.004Z

Thank you all so much for joining in this months swaps, it has been great sorting out all your lovely Winter themed ATCs. The picture is a random collage but of course cant show them as well as they look in your hand.

This month we have had lots of different sorts; from collage, wax painting and embroidered,
a lovely arty selection.
Your ATCs will be posted tomorrow so hopefully you will get them
within a day or two. The individual swaps are in the picture trail album here :http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses

Next months swap is entitled WINGS .
I look forward to seeing all your art work again.
The closing date is the 15th January.
We wont be having a December swap because of the Christmas post, so rather than have the worry of ATCs lost in the postal panic, we can take a break and look forward to the January swap!
have a great day,
Stephanie.

Click for Free Food

2008-11-14T17:58:00.003Z

The Animal Rescue Site focuses the power of the Internet on a specific need — providing food for some of the 27 million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year. Over 10 million animals are put to death every year in the U.S. alone because they are abandoned and unwanted.
Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at the Fund for Animals' renowned animal sanctuaries (including Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Texas and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in California), pet shelters supported by the Petfinder Foundation , North Shore Animal League , and other worthy animal care facilities supported by the GreaterGood.org foundation.
100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to their charitable partners.

Please tell ten friends to tell ten today!

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Vote for Your choice of Poster Now!

2008-11-12T07:35:00.002Z

Voting for the Design Against Fur 2008 People's Choice Award is now open! Please vote today and tell all your friends, family and colleagues to vote, too. http://infurmation.com/daf/2008/vote.php
There is no need to register. Just click on which poster you think is the best and then click "Vote" at the bottom of the page. Only one vote per person, please.
The designer of the poster that receives the most votes by 12 pm (noon) Eastern Standard Time on November 30th wins $1,000 U.S.

Congratulations America!

2008-11-05T08:17:00.003Z

http://events.uk.msn.com/us-elections.aspx

The whole world has been watching the run up to this election with bated breath.

We will all be affected by this great change and I look forward to seeing the positive results!

The election of Democrat Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States will have a direct impact on the ‘special relationship’ that exists between the UK and the US.

Auction of Prints for Spanish Galgos

2008-11-03T16:50:00.002Z

The Galgos and Podencos of Spain are sighthounds that are used for hunting.

They get a tough life in Spain and many thousands are rescued every year from horrible lives and many die from posoining or road accidents.

I lived in Spain for 2 years and it was always so sad to see so many dogs running loose and virtually starving to death. One dear girl came to my house in the mountains, she had been hit by a car and was in a terrible state but wouldn't let anyone get near her. She stayed outside around the back of the house where she felt safest and would try to drag herself away if I looked at her. If I turned my head away so that she didnt feel so threatened I could get near enough to put down food and water. She ate well and stayed until she was fit enough to go on her way again but was never trusting enough to allow herself to be touched.

PRO-GALGO's are having an auction of paintings and are hoping to

raise lots of money to help save spanish dogs.

Check out the auction of fantastic hound prints which opened on

saturday 1st Nov and runs for 2 weeks.

The prints were donated by Lisa Ballard and all money raised

will go to help galgos and podencos in Spain.
The auction opened on NOVEMBER 1st and can be found on their forum at

www.galgo-forum.org

There are several different beautiful prints to bid on, the page to find a list of them

and choose which one you would like is :

http://galgogossip.freeforums.org/under-the-hammer-f16.html

Today is World Vegan Day!

2008-11-01T08:40:00.006Z

Happy Vegan Day!

World Vegan Day is today, the 1st November, and its also the start of World Vegan Month.
There will be lots of things going on in different areas to celebrate.

http://www.worldveganday.org/

Check out this link and find out whats going on in your area.

For some easy to read information of what vegans are etc check out this link:

http://www.veganmonth.com/whyvegan.html om/whyvegan.html

Vegans, like vegetarians, do not eat animal or fish flesh. However, vegans also avoid eating products that contain eggs, milk and honey. The vegan diet is 100% plant-based, and very healthy it is, too!

Try this blog, its a good read: http://www.bradleyb.net/vegan/index.htm

I often hear people say that vegan food is boring, well its not any more! Its amazing and there is so much choice out there. 24 years ago I couldnt buy anything pre packed that was vegan apart from some pretty awful tasting soy milk. Well thats all changed, great vegan food is everywhere and Soya milk? ... well its delicious and there is also rice milk and oat milks available too.

Most supermarkets sell vegan food now and often have designated areas for dairy free products, but its easier than that to shop vegan. If you contact your favourite supermarket and ask them to send you a list of all their products that they sell that are suitable for vegans you'll be amazed at the choice.

I wrote to The Co-Operative Society and got a 12 A4 pages back!

Even Costa Coffee in Newmarket does an amazing Soya Latte!

If you ask a restaurant to veganise a meal for you, many are happy to oblige.

Have a great day, enjoy all of November and why not try at least one day of Vegan living!

Postcards group swaps.

2008-10-31T09:13:00.005Z

These are postcards I made for a yahoo group swaps. The first one is my part in a 12 days of Christmas swap, everyone makes 12 and gets a full set back, a nice way to build your collection.

They are all collaged with embellishments.

The group is : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4x6Expressions/

Autumn ATCs

2008-10-28T06:36:00.004Z

Here are 2 ATCs I completed for a swap entitled "Nature in Autumn"

Its 6.30am here and there is still a very heavy frost on the grass outside. It looks as if it has been snowing! I expect that will mean the end of the fresh tomatoes and lettuce from the garden.

I love Pigs!

2008-10-27T15:32:00.005Z

These two girls are pot bellied pigs whose owner became too ill to cope with them.

They are big girls! There were a lot of people who couldnt resist buying a pot bellied piglet as a pet, but as you can see they grow and grow and really are not suitable for a suburban household. So many hundreds of these lovely pigs ended up in rescues around the country.

These are living happily with some other friends at West Runton.

And below are some rather glamorous pigs who were having a great time snuffling about in the field.

This is the duck pond!

www.hillside.org

More Hillside Pics.

2008-10-24T08:51:00.003+01:00

These Turkeys are in fabulous condition with lovely sleek feathers, rescued from a farm and now able to live out their natural lives in safety and comfort!

www.hillside.org.uk

A great day out!

2008-10-23T13:34:00.004+01:00

Yesterday we went to Hillside Animal Sanctuary at West Runton on the Norfolk coast.

I love it there, not only are there some lovely animals to look at and stroke but there's a great animal friendly cafe too!

Check out their website here and you can see all the great work that they do.

These boy calves were going to be destroyed but were rescued just in time and will spend the rest of their natural lives at the sanctuary.
http://www.hillside.org.uk/

2008-10-23T13:00:00.004+01:00

Thank you all so much for joining in this months swaps, such lovely blue ATCs!
Your ATCs are now in the post so hopefully you will get them

within a day or two.
The individual swaps are in the picture trail album here :
http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses
Next months swap is entitled WINTER.
I look forward to seeing all your art work.
The closing date is the 15th November.

I wont be having a December swap as by time the the closing date ( the 15th) arrives we will be well in to hectic Christmas post.

So rather than have any lost in the rush we can take a break and look forward to the January swap!
have a great day,
Stephanie.

Who me??

2008-10-18T08:56:00.004+01:00

This picture was sent to me this morning and it put a smile on my face.

Just look at his expression, what fun he must have had,

I dont suppose the local council enjoyed it so much!

Harry used to be a digger, there were holes everywhere in the garden but she doesnt do it anymore, perhaps its a puppy thing?

ATC Swap

2008-10-17T09:19:00.003+01:00

Just to let you know that I am waiting on one set of ATCs which havent arrived yet so I havent sent your swaps out!

Hopefully they will arrive this morning.

I will let you know as soon as the swap is on its way to you.

Have a great day!

Thought for the day.

2008-10-15T08:00:00.001+01:00

If 20 million people will die as a result of malnutrition this year why is 57% of Europe's grain fed to cattle?

Primates at risk

2008-10-14T18:30:00.009+01:00

for more pictures look here:

http://www.all-creatures.org/saen/pics.html

Primates Factory Farmed in Vietnam and Shipped to UK Laboratories.

A recent BUAV investigation at a Vietnamese primate farm found monkeys, who were destined for Huntingdon Life Sciences in Cambridgeshire, kept in appalling conditions.

Not only that, but evidence was uncovered that suggests monkeys are being taken from the wild to replenish breeding stock and may even be sent straight to laboratories, passed off as ‘captive bred’

ATCs

2008-10-11T09:10:00.005+01:00

Image from : www.kazuya-akimoto.com/blog14/cells/

Its nearly time for the October ATC swap, closing date is the 15th.

This year seems to have flown by!

Here are the details again to remind you.

Please invite your friends, the more the merrrier!

ATC TRADE - all welcome! The themes for the next 3 months are:

BLUE - October

Interpret this however you like. Think colour or mood..... enjoy!

WINTER - November

These are 4 for 4 swaps and the closing dates are the 15th of each month.

Just send to me with a ssae!

Overseas players usually add an extra ATC or a little craft material to help towards postage.

Please email me if you need my address.mailto:address.scole491@hotmail.com

see pics of some of the previous entries please click here:http://www.picturetrail.com/englishroses