Playing ...

today with making Courgette and Carrot Muffins

in the play park yesterday - where will we go?

today on our drive out towards Bromyard

and lastly in the park today with these lovely stepping columns.

I wonder what playing you have been doing?

I am always amazed at how quiet parks are.
XXX

Teaseled Nothingness.

On Saturday we had a lovely afternoon walk in some woods on the outskirts of Ledbury. It was a sunny autumnal afternoon of togetherness - really idyllic. I thought I would share these rather sculptural wild Teasels (Dipsacus fullonum) basking in the sun's rays.

Maegan has challenged us with the prompt : Nothing this week at The Sunday Creative

Nothing: 1. no thing {leaves to the imagination} 2. something that does not exist 3. zero

After much thunking I've gone with a macro shot of my empty purse - what a sad but thought -provoking state to be in.

I've gone B&W to emphasise the Zero effect and added a watercolour filter to stylise it again hopefully to pronounce the nothingness!

What do you think? Hope your purses are in a healthier state.
XXX

Allsorts Plain and Simple

The Allsorts team have a Plain and Simple Challenge this week with beautiful examples to inspire.

Couldn't resist having a go with this Santa and snow stamp (thanks Brenda).

All stamped in DI Faded Jeans.

Other snowflake stamps are D&D and the sentiment is See Ds.

Cardstock is DCWV.

I think I may do a batch of these in different colours.
Thanks for the inspiration girls.
XXX

Macro Friday Buddleia

Managed to get this shot of one of our Buddleias before the rain started this morning. It's my first time playing with all the lovely photographers over at Macro Friday on Blogging from bolivia. Such a wonderful blog and beautiful macro shots to admire and aspire too.

Thank you for looking today.
XXX

Behind on my posting for 365

Day 23 - thinking in the garden in the sun - is it our last?

Day 24 the last of the Fushia buds.

Today is wet, wild and windswept. Light not good but did manage to snap this luminous little flower in the front garden before our cold trip to Malvern.

What will happen when all the flowers disappear? I am worried about this for the days when I am struggling - I guess you will see lots of the bare branches!
XXX

White on White Santa

White on white has and is a struggle for me - so I thought I would have another go.

Thanks to Karen for this lovely image sent in an image swap - he is coloured with PMs and Sparkles and a little gold embossing on his bell.

The embossing folder is a Sizzix texture plate and the other stamps are See Ds. I've added a little height with foam pads to this one to the smaller images and the white whiskered gentleman himself.

I'm entering this into:

Craft Mad & Loving It - Santa Challenge

I Love PMs - White on White challenge

Thanks for looking.
XXX

Modern Sculpture

On one of our favoured outings there is this modern sculpture for the community. We investigated it today so day 21 is a series of shots.

The whole

The inside (makes great noises)

My Favourite -running feet!
The outside

We enjoyed ourselves today. We hope you have too.
XXX

Paper piecing Hanglar

I love receiving packages when they contain such gorgeous rubber creations as Hanglar & Stanglar stamps from Sweden. I had one at the weekend so I had to stamp one of them up and it has really helped re-ignite my mojo - hooray.

The challenge over at Lovely Hanglar Only is Paper Piecing so I thought I would have a go at a Christmas card using the DCWV Traditional papers and green cardstock that I had left over from my other card. I've added some decoupage too and am quite pleased. The rest of the colouring is with PMs.

Do go and have a look at the Hanglar challenge as the inspiration is amazing and watch out on e-bay for the lovely stamp kits from the company itself.

Thanks for stopping by today.
XXX

Santa in preparation!

Look away if you are Christmas phobic!

Karen's challenge at Craft Mad & Loving It was Santa with a cute sketch.

A perfect opportunity to use one of Brenda's stamps she sent me in her lovely candy - thank you. He is coloured with PMs and Sparkles.

I've teamed the jolly chap with DCWV Traditional papers and green card and decoupaged three presents in the squares.

I enjoyed making him.

I am also entering him in this week's Moving Along With the Times Christmas challenge. They always have lovely inspiration and prizes but I haven't entered for ages.
XXX

Day 18 and 19

A lovely ornamental cabbage for Sunday to decorate the lunch table. It was celebration time again this time Grandpa's 86th Birthday. I was hosting again and again we enjoyed a lovely lunch together. We treasure every moment.

Today we looked after LOs friend whilst her Mummy (my best friend) had an appointment. I love the inquisitive nature that the under fives have and the concentration in short bursts. It was such a lovely morning we were able to enjoy the sunshine outside.

Have a magnificent Monday.
XXX

The Sunday Creative - Abundance

The Sunday Creative word this week is :Abundance

An Abundance of Autumn Apples

Abundance: from the word Abundant meaning more than enough: amply sufficient

oh and Roses.

Go and look at the eye candy : be inspired.

XXX

A few cards too.

For Rosie's sketch challenge on CM&LI with the twist 'in pieces' - The stamp is by Tim Holtz.

Thanks to Beverley for the image.

A required birthday card

Thanks to the person who sent me this FF bear.

For Rosie's themed challenge 'bearly festive'. Also on the Craft Mad & Loving It group. Just like those jingle bells.

As you can see I'm in a keep it simple phase.

Happy weekend all and here's to a Sunday where you find a moment to do something you love.
XXX

Day 17 and 18 still in a macro mood.

Day 17 (Aquilegia seed head)

Day 18 Orange

and my garden faerie

(with diffuse glow added)

XXX

'plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernal'

These little cups always remind me of the tales of the folk who live under the hill.

It is lovely at the moment when we go out there is so much bounty to look and wonder at. The textures and colours are mouth-wateringly inspiring.

Have yourself a sweet evening.

XXX

Last of the roses

Beautiful sun this morning - just a rose and a sunflower - the last few bright bits of summer holding on.

XXX

Water

It is raining today.

I found a leaf in the garden with water droplets on its back. With the macro lense all the veins show. I then used PSE to convert to B&W and intensify the contrasts and shadows. What do you think?

On our drive out we saw this field and I liked the colour and texture.

XXX

Mellow fruitfulness

Keats' poem 'Ode to Auntumn' is one of the first poems I can remember falling in love with - just the sound of the words and the images he creates are majestically orchestrated. I love this time of year. On our walk today the leaves are just beginning to change. I love the colours in this shot.
It is a lovely wood with various carved creatures to find - this is one of our favourites the hedgepig.

There are also beautifully

constructed wooden fences - that always remind me of poems and their ornate structures.

Lastly, the blackberries are beginning to ripen - mmmmm.

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our walk.

I would love to take some wildlife pictures but I'm a little stumped about lenses to use and whether it is possible to get good shots by chance on walks rather than going to the same place and sitting quietly for long periods of time. I may have to wait until LO is larger and quieter but any advice gratefully received. I thought I may start in the garden with some birds. I have a feeling there could be many, many blurred shots.

XXX

Gorgeous sun in September.

It has been a glorious day here which was very nice as we celebrated MILs 87th birthday. I hosted so have spent much of this weekend cooking and entertaining. Not much of anything else happening but sometimes just connecting is good.

This picture captures the lovely light today and the loveliness that is my MIL - Happy Birthday.

Hope everyone else is well and enjoying whatever light you have in your lives.

XXX

Where did Wednesday go?

I kinda lost yesterday between jobs and visits and having a guest for tea.

Inspiration also went walkies - obviously a one week done phenomena. So my shot for yesterday is taken by LO who has very much started to notice the camera and wants to be behind it rather than in front of it. It's my headless portrait - definitely how I felt yesterday. Hoping for a better day today.

Over at 'CM&LI' we do a WOYWW so here is a shot of my flag book in the making.
Again this is getting on rather slowly due to lack of time.

Hope you are in command of your time today.
XXX

Shadow Swings

The rain didn't arrive until this afternoon therefore LO and I enjoyed the sunshine this morning with a trip to our Countryside Centre. The sun cast lovely shadows everywhere and I couldn't resist the ones under the swings. I'm not sure I would have consciously noticed them before starting this journey but I am so glad I did this morning. I hope the shadow children enjoy them as much as my LO enjoyed the real deal.

We played, we had a drink and we walked in the wood - a perfect morning together. The light was beautiful and reflected itself in our moods I think.

Hope you had a sunshine day too.

XXX

Timeworn

Maegan's prompt for The Sunday Creative - Timeworn

Here is my Green Man who protects our house (actually houses as he moves with us).

Originally he was green but time has worn him, rather well I think, and I prefer this weathered version. I love his eyes as they appear to understand. I thought he was perfect for this prompt and I can only hope that protects for a long time to come. He may agree to appear again during my 365 journey - he is rather enigmatic though.

The storm clouds have amassed all day and finally they broke at 5.45pm. I love the feel of the wind and the anticipation of the storm. Obviously our storms can be indulged as they tend to be minor in comparison to other places in the world.

XXX

5/365

Really heavy rain forecast for the coming week.

Get the bedclothes washed and dry prompto.

Laundry is fairly central to my life (not in the spiritual sense you understand but the frequency sense) so I expect there to be a series of laundry shots during the 365 journey. I may purchase some more interesting pegs and/or items to hang!

Always feels sacrilegious on a Sunday (childhood indoctrination) but if

cleanliness is next to ... Can I be forgiven?

Hope the weather is being kind to you - what is central to your life?

XXX