Diversification

I love trying to earn my living from using flowers from my garden in textile pieces but I'd been asked to make a floral  'spray' using real flowers from my garden. I usually make my neighbor an evergreen & berries bunch around Christmas time but her daughter was getting married this week & she wanted something for the fireplace, using  flowers.... that last a few days. Heavens! So i got some conditoner from the local florist (is that oganic?????) I'd finally watched the last of the Chelsea flower show while catching up with my ironing & a lovely man told me to put them in a bucket over nght with said conditioner...so I did.

Here they are in situ

She loved it, thank goodness!

I was also asked to mak the brides bouquet....something that lasts not just a few days but hopefully forever in the wedding photos! Stress levels growing here!

Scuse the helpful model's arm but coldn't work out how to photograph the bouquet to show it off best....the wedding was that afternoon.

A closer view - a lovely breeze is blowing things around a bit ;)

To cap it all off I made a bridesmaid's posy,  bit more relaxed. Some of the flowers were from the bride's friend's mother's (!) garden & we chose a few bits & pieces from mine to add to the mix. We had wedding guests staying here & they said the flowers were much admired....which is so good to hear ;)

To relax the pace a bit I made some honesty seedhead cards using the background from a couple of weeks ago. I've collected the seedheads over time which was lucky as I have not one in the garden now. They've all disappeared - someone asked had i weeded them out by mistake but I've only really just started on end of last summer's weeds so that's not likely! I shall sew some more.

Graduation of the Eldest

Well, I am unashamedly showing off these pics of my boy, I mean our boy ;) I was pretty proud of the Eldest before his graduation, but goodness, I'd find it hard to describe in words how I felt at his graduation so 'll say it in photos! (I don't mind if you skip thru fast!)

Ok so above was after the graduation

 pre graduation, proud parents

 the lovely supportive dil to be

 If you enlarge he's right in the middle looking this way - I've got to say the point & shoots round & about us were doing a better job than our heavy but adored Nikon slr. I didn't compress this one so you could see.

 Lovely backdrop to the proceedings

 Beautiful carvings

 and prints above my head - I'll be making a block of this.

 One for the frame on the piano? I didn't make the piano in my college days as I didn't get a degree, scraping a diploma instead. All my kids, whatever they get, will make the piano! (not that I have a chip or anything! Well, not any more ;)

 The obligitory door, a beautiful one at that

 This was above one of the doors, describing the 'tap' on the head as they pass, before they receive their degree.

The supportive maternal Grandparents by the gate to the Geosciences reception. Even tho they couldn't come to the actual ceremony they came all the way up to share in the celebrations. Annoying, too as all the way up in the 'god's' in the MacEwan building were hundreds of empty seats - I'm sure they could have filled them. They took us out for a wonderful meal at Whiski Rooms by the Mound, where Jay worked thru his studying the last 2 yrs or so. Delicious, really classy without any pretentions. We'd shared my birthday cake the day before with a delicious Chinese meal & the kind waitresses let us have my Mom's birthday cake there in the reseraunt - we're 2 days apart. Managed a pudding too, just!


Photos are wonderful aren't they? I feel quite choked up remembering the pomp & ceremony & really not too pompous at all, just a beautiful setting & wonderfully choriographed - the fact that this is MY boy in amongst all these achieving people, & having learnt over the years that there are many  kinds of intelligence I felt proud to be included. I shall enjoy these memories for many years.

Walked past some graffiti on the way to the ceremony, walking barefoot (couldn't walk in those heels, the lovely Rag Tag heels!) Shame thye've barricaded it tho who do they think it will stop?

 This was the same as the above pic 2 years ago

This was nearby 2 yrs ago but there was no sign of it this time

Went to Portree to  visit my work & the DH's work that was accepted for the summer into
Skyeworks Gallery 

You've seen these before - I'm just trying to give a sense of 'place'

My 2 in the middle the Lighthouse & Moonlight

 & Honesly & Hydrangea

the DH's 2 paintings beautifully framed by my arty buddies DH

I love this chair & the Helen Emmaus behind

 Some mixed media pieces, really nice by Natalie MacLeod, must look her up

 Tha cafe downstairs with my cards in the far rack. My textile buddy & i had a delicious pannini type thing filled with brie & tomatos, not a sandwich just added to the dough then baked, delicious & a great latte ;)

Last but definitely not least I won a giveaway a couple of weeks back from the lovely Heloise, 4 cards & a little ribboned tag - they;ll be going on my studio wall to be enjoyed greatly, thank you ;)

So I am the new me!

OK, so the new post below is the first one written by the new me. Having lost my profile, then 'the sign' in button to my blog  by messing around, changing passwords etc, I have successfully become a contributor to my old blog & my profile is now under 'Emma' but  seem to be paying for it by not being able to edit posts. That's fine, worth the price!I did tho, successfully upload a photo & I may do another one in a minute....I can talk in Pictures again!

I do have a new follower, welcome!  but no link, do comment so I can visit! While there I found she had joined Jane Davies at Collage Journey &  I had a lovely time looking at journal videos, thank you ;)

So, even tho we're away tomorrow I picked myself a birthday bunch of flowers from the garden, what a lovely thing to wake up to on the day! ;-0

Oh it worked, joy of joys!!!

Is this the new me?

This is a pic I was trying to show you guys last week of the Youngest going off to his Prom - as I said, not a limo in sight!

This week has been spent with lots of B&B, even a few shoppers in the studio but I'm afraid altho I've rehung my pieces I haven't had the energy to sort the working side of my studio out! There are piles everywhere ;( We did have our work accepted by Skyeworks Gallery in Portree so 6 of my pieces & 2 of the DH's have gone up, well, the Youngest drove them up on the way to his gf!

Had to buy a new iron as the old one dove off the ironing board then proceeded to leak on my thin 'coat' that I'm wearing on Monday leaving pale watermarks. So I've rewashed it...it's still drying & I'll iron it tonight.

So excited about having a little trip to Edinbro, only 2 nights away, but to celebrate he Eldest's success with most of the close family will be great. The Middlest went off to sea for 2 months earlier this week & I'm sure while he's bobbing about the middle of the North sea he'll have a thought for the family.

Wish me luck!

A quiet week

Quiet for me. All I made this week were some backgrounds for my honesty seedhead card.

The Youngest had his Prom on Tuesday - not sure why they called it a Prom, I guess coz the 'School Dance' is the winter dance & this will be the leavers prom/dance. No sign of a limo thank goodness!

I'd show you a pic of him in his kilt but even tho I've deleted a few of the very early posts I still can't upload any more pics. The one above snuk in before I deleted them. So I'll probably have to pay for storage, but why can't I just empty a bit from Picassa? I really enjoy blogging but if it's going to get all tecnical.......

The Youngest had to make his first public speech & handled it by making fun of himself & pointing out that he can't speak in public as it stops him breathing ;) We got a taste of it at Prize Giving on Thursday, our very last as he had to make a similar speech, a vote of thanks as Head Boy. He turned into a comedian & just held the floor, we were proud parents, I tell you & not just because he got an award in Biology & PE.... As for passing his driving test that morning (second time, first was last month) There was certainly some stretching of the umbilical cord when he drove off into the distance....without me or hs father!

I can't think unless I've got pictures to write about! Hope I can sort this out soon ;( Here's a link to the Honesty pic I made last year & showed in the exhibition last week & it couldn't be enlarged ( I was trying to save on space!) I'll find the other pics next time. Thanks for all my lovely comments. I'm in the walking thru treacle stage of life at the moment, just pootling along not really doing much (except for the day jb & B&B of course!) I will get round to visit...I've been saying that for a while now!

What a long week!

Now, lets see if I can add a photo today &if I can I'll tell you all about my week. (If I can't I'll say it with words ;)

Poppies in Plockton & a bit of patriotism (about 2 houses & 3 pubs had bunting up here)

My waterproof fused plastic bags sign (I wasn't being particularly patriotic but I did enjoy it when I realised it was red white & blue ;) Did it rain one drop? NO!

Wall 1

Well, these are all the photos I'm allowed  tonight, apparently. Theres another 'scene' hidden below the white cloth & some people do like to come & discuss how lovely the one above is, along with the permanent sketches up there..which I was politely asked to leave up  this time...

I had a great week over all. I got a small card order so sat quietly making them - if I didn't have something to do I go a bit antsy. I'm only ever still & peaceful when I'm asleep, practicing Yoga or watching Eastenders! Unfortunately, it was nothing but lovely sunshine with a light breeze to keep the midges away. Now I'm not complaining, particularly after devastating floods & miserable rain for the celebrations - the 2 are very different things I know, but they still both happened, didn't they? So what you need to get people in thru the doors & off those lovely hills are a few raindrops... & there were about 2.  Slow start, an amazing Friday & one card today! You can just never tell. We're booked in again for August....

I'm rabbiting already....I'm exhausted! One other fabulous piece of news, my Eldest got a 2:1 in his degree. I don't normally brag here but this is my (our) son we're talking about! Never did I believe in a million years......also my dil got a job down south to go along with him getting a job down south (in the same area!)& a sweet little cottage to rent.  It's all happening for them! I shall miss them being tucked up neatly in Edinburgh.

Will try scan some pics of the cards next week, have a good one!

Published & an Invitation to my Exhibition!

I'm delighted to say that for the first time in my life I'm published!

The article in Workshop on the Web came out on June 1st & to see it you have to join....for a mere 15.50 a year for, as I've said before, an average of 8 articles 4 times a year, such good value & workshops written by great tutors of course! Haha!!! I'm completely honored to be along side HilaryHollingworth  Kathyann White, a day in the life of Fiona Wright        & Jennifer McFarlane Anne Kelly & 
Maggie Grey herself. It's a wonderful feeling to be there, I can tell you. I visit WoW & can't believe that my name pops up! Hope I've got all the link right, sorry if not!



Also (so much in one week!) I cordially invite you to our exhibition!................


Only google won't let me upload the invite coz I'm full, I've used up my 1GB of photos for heaven's sake ;( & I can't upload my work at the hall either ;(

My head is positively swimming after hanging everythig today & I look foward to a sit down over the week ;) Then I'll try to sort it out. I'm fine, just tired! ;)

Thanks for all your kind words, think of me!