I love... BUGS.

 Spent last Friday at Oxford's National History Museum!
They have a really neat exhibit with old, giant tree roots from all over the world.

 

Ok, are you ready for the Insects? There is allot of them, and I am not going to apologise! <3

  

Love them so much!!! If only I could keep them! <3

Rummaging at the Rag Market!

 I spent my Weekend at Birmingham Rag Market, which is just behind the World Famous Bull Ring ;)
I have spent many years going to the Rag Market, but this is the first time I have been with an actual purpose! (Other than buying all the wonderful things I see, and having no Idea what to do with them!)
This time, I went as a doll maker, a very excited doll maker, with things to find! Of course, the things to find, were the same as before, anyway. Beautiful things.






 And the most beautiful thing in the world? TRIMS! LACE! RIBBON! A whole stall full... Rudi from Eat Your Heart Out, brought nearly every single one! She really did eat her heart out (Metaphorically, of course ;))

This stall was great, all those little sewing must haves that you never knew you must have! 

 

And here is my treasure hoard..! Which, almost never made it home... After most of my shopping, Rudi and I were taking a last jaunt around, making sure we had missed nothing. (I had spent over £150, I think we can safely say I didn't miss anything!) When the most terrible, dreadful thing happened. I went down to reach my bag full of treasure, to find it, gone. GONE!
It was one of those moments your heart plummets to your feet, then zooms back up and almost out.
I had no idea how long it had been gone, whether I had left it somewhere, whether it had been taken.

Rudi is used to me loosing things. I am one of the people to which the phrase 'You'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on' really does apply. I loose EVERYTHING.

She took charge and marched me from stall to stall as we asked people if they had seen a bag. It was one of those sack cloth bags, so recognisable, but most frustratingly, most people asked what was in it. FABRIC! We're in a bloody rag market?
The customer help was the exact opposite, and kept referring to us as 'MOPS'.
After 2 hours, I was a mess, and ready to go home. Thankfully, Rudi refused, and we kept on looking.

I was just about to ask another stall, a busy one, when Rudi pointed to a sack-cloth bag, saying, 'Isn't that it?'
I literally shoved people out the way, as my heart did somersaults as I made my way towards it, only for it to sink again as I saw black fabric in it. But waiiit.... yaaay! It WAS my bag, the black fabric had only fallen on it. 

After asking the stall holder, and her confirming someone had handed it in, I thought I was going to explode with happiness. She must of though I was mental. Tears in my eyes I hugged her and said thankyou over and over!! haha!
Loosing a treasure hoard is a terrible thing!

 

 Oh the beauty!

 Wooden buttons! <3

 Rudi, bery pleased with her finds!

I cannot wait to create with my new stash!

Getting organised.

I've heard many times that being un-organised comes hand in hand with being creative. Apparently, I am a creative wonder, then. 

No matter what I do, I struggle to keep any space tidy. My bedrooom, my craft room, the kitchen... even if I have just sat down in a cafe for a drink, I will already have mess around me. I don't know how I manage to do it, and it bewilders friends too. 

Now though, I have had enough! I can't create because I'm always working around crap. So, over the last few weeks, I have been working my arse off to get my Studio into shape. (Bedroom is next) 

It's taken a long time, a expedition to Ikea, many nails, screws, and conquering the drill. (yay!) 

The room had a little break for a while, as I *thought* I had done enough, but, of course, my expert skill at making a mess won over after a while. 

It is still not efficient as I'd like, but I will get there. This is my main wall, you can see my Ikea fabric storage to the left, (Didn't get as many as I should!) Various hand made peg boards, shelving. The box shelves are now full (Of course) and the white table is covered in sketch books and drawings. 

I re-oraganised the shelves that are under the white table (same as left) and they hold beads, trinkets and findings, scraps, trim, ribbon, leather, felt and wools. 

I'm hoping to get more done today...

I have also been organising my time, as I always have so much to do, and spend 5 mins doing one, then another, and not getting much done of anything! So, now I have a timetable. phew! Starts tomorow. I really hope I manage to keep it up. I'll keep you informed! It now means there will *hopefully* be a blog every sunday on here, and every Wednesday on the Dolls blog. 

It hasnt all been organising and tidying though! I spent near a week adventuring in Wales! 

Till next week....! 

The British Faery 

 

Where Did All The Dragons Go?

Long ago, and by and by,

dragons ruled the earth and sky....


Where Did All The Dragons Go, By Fay Robinson.

This is a beautiful story, that reads like an old poem, a folktale that has been told round campfires for hundreds of years, passed down through the ages.
The wonderfully rhymed words, repetition and descriptive language captures adults and children alike. Older children love that they can quickly remember the words and read along, younger children shouting the last words with glee.

If the poem wasn't enough (Which it most definitely is!) The illustrations drawn by Victor Lee, are outstanding. On each page dragons come to life, so real they almost seem as if they are about to fly of the page. 

The thing I love most about the illustrations, are the variety of dragon species, each one is entirely different, full of its own character and charm. I love the English Dragons, with their spikes and fierce looking faces, yet the romantic, sleek dragons with butterfly wings catch my attention every-time I open the page.

If you haven't already read this book, I highly recommend it. It was a firm favourite with my class of 20 3-4 yr olds, who wanted to read it nearly everyday! (As did I!)

Here is a link to Amazon, where you can browse through the book..... 

If you have read this book, I would love to hear what you and your children think of it, please leave me a comment below and share the magic!

Faery Photoshoot!

 Here are some shots of me and the Sprytes from a photo shoot a few weeks back, we had tea parties, tree climbing and dancing! What more could you want from a faerie filled day!?
I had lots of fun doing the shoot, even the morning one, at 5am! =O

Dawn Shoot:
I enjoyed this shoot, the setting was so beautiful! I was really cold, and sleepy though, and I think sometimes it shows! I need a warmer costume next time! ;)

High Noon Tea Party:

This is my favourite shoot, I had contacts in, which were painful, but definatley worth it! They added so much!

Dusk; Pirates and night Fae!
This was the trickiest shoot, the light was not what we had hoped for, and we didnt get a sunset really! It just went from light to dark, very quiskly! haha =) I think we managed to get some great shots though. Unfortunatley, the camera broke halfway through! :(