The most gorgeous bird paintings

The artist Bridget Couc has a remarkable gift in the way she portrays the subject - her delicate paintings are from the heart and it shows. Her bird paintings are amongst my favourites!

Baby Shoes for Halloween

I've been thinking of something new to make and, although Halloween has not held much importance for me since my family is all grown up, I bought some beautiful fabric with pussy-cats, birds, and BOO in the traditional colours of Halloween.

I decided to make baby shoes with the fabric and had so much fun, and they're adorable. They're here on Folksy:

Book giveaway

If you'd like to take part have a look at this lovely blog http://www.wheremyheartis.net/.

"One lucky reader will win this book filled with exquisite photography, recipes and stories. At my French Table by Jane Webster, captures the simple pleasures of family life in a beautiful corner of France."

Quilt Show

I really enjoyed myself yesterday at the Quilt Show - some of those quilts are so very beautiful but the real reason I went was to buy fabric. It was the equivalent of a child in a sweetie shop!!

I got the only set of fat quarters in the new range of Antique Flower Collection from the US. Can't wait to start sewing! And then I went mad on another stall and bought loads, some of these fabrics had rows of cloth already stitched on  - just as well I'd taken my buggy as I'd never have been able to carry it all.

I bought only one book, it's The Found Object in Textile Art by Cas Holmes - chock full of inspiring artwork and many projects using things that cost very little. I read it cover to cover last night.

vintage style inspiration

I've sent off some Ipod/Iphone cozies to Stampington's Sew Somerset and hope to be included in next year's magazine, and remember you saw them here first hehe!!

Here they are:

MAC or PC

My laptop is nearly 4 years old and is starting to show its age. I deleted as much as I could and transferred my photos to an external disk so as to free up space but PaintShop Photo won't work unless I close everything else.

I was thinking of buying a new one and a friend told me that she's changed to a MAC and is absolutely in love with it. It's more simple and that's a definite lure for me non-techie minded person!

So I'm going to have a look this week and will let you know what happens.

If you're looking for eye candy!

I can't believe how many days have passed since I blogged. I'd like to share my incredibly talented friend Kim's new art - huge panels on chiffon!

Got to Grips with Twitter

I am so pleased to have found out how to schedule tweets - it's been bugging me for ages. I use Hootsuite and it's great and now I have the final instalment! Did you know that someone who uses Twitter is called a Tweep LOL.

In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. Carl Sagan

Visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia

Isn't it funny how things to do or see in our own towns are always put on the back burner. Well I finally went to see the Queen's yacht which is now in retirement and moored permanently at Edinburgh Leith docks.

It was fabulous to see the dining room with a really huge table laid out with silver and crystal and beautiful china. Everything was sumptuous but the thing that struck me was the size of the beds. The Queen and Prince Philip had separate bedrooms and tiny narrow beds, and there was plenty of space for bigger beds - hmmm.

There was the honeymoon suite for Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the bed was a three-quarter size, maybe it was cosier??

The laundry was like a factory and one of the ironing machines was for shirt 'sleeves' only - see picture below.

I took so many photos, I think I'll be running out of space on my computer soon.

I'll post more soon.

Now it's time for ART

I've had a wonderful week enjoying the good life with my youngest daughter and family who came to Edinburgh from Florence. It's always so hard to see them go but they'll hopefully be able to come for Christmas. We all put on weight indulging on forbidden, well not so much forbidden as unwise hehe, food!

So now I'm getting back into art-mode. Bought new pinking shears which cut so easily even through thick felt. My old ones (which I couldn't even find) were hard on the fingers, probably no longer sharp!

I feel really motivated and ready to go, at the moment the sewing machine rules - but soon I'll put it away to make room for painting. That huge canvas stares me in the face and I'm not going to let it intimidate me!!