Just had to share this one with you. My mate Hilary Beattie, she with the mucky hands, sharing her enthusiasm with a group of very happy looking ladies at the Bramble Patch.

The Bramble Patch is just up the road from me here in Milton Keynes. For me, and on so many occasions, it is a little bit of heaven. I have been lucky enough to do a number of courses there. It was day courses at the bramble patch that really set me off on my personal journey.

Because of the day job, I have not been able to sign up to Hilary's ongoing course.but I I must admit I'm a little bit envious of the enormous fun these ladies were having.

If you are not familiar with Hilary's work, then she is a force of nature and it's worth having a look at her own blog and website.

Every day I walk the dog - or on this occasion the dogs, because my sons Whippet is with us again for a mini break while Son No1 is on a sales trip to New York.


I usually forget to take a camera - I just stride out - but in a fit of organisation I remembered to take one with me on one of my recent morning walks.

Across the disused railway line ( which is supposed to be coming back on stream but I don't know when).

Verges with bindweed. The bain of the gardeners life but lovely in a verge. 

Across a field ( this is either a very happy dog or one smothering himself in the delightful doggy scent of "eau de fox poo"! )

Into the village, which this year is sporting some stunning hollyhocks. 

and my interpretation of it. I sketched the outline on to a sheet of soft play foam ( you can get it at places like Hobbycraft.) It is sometimes self adhesive, but if not stick it onto a background using a bit of PVA.


On the subject of Hobbycraft, convenient for me here in MK, but boy is it an annoying shop! Nothing in stock that you want and they overcharged me but I did not notice until I got home. Unless you really have to go there, I suggest you stick to the internet for your arts materials. Just use them for cheap foam sheets!

Meanwhile, back to my afternoon.

Then I prepared a spread in a sketch book using an old credit card (see the last post)

And tried out the new stamp.

Yep, liking it. Though I have no idea just now where and how I am going to use it just yet.

And then, using a tub of recut shapes (bought from the kids isle in HC many moons ago) and because William of Orange was just about to 'invade' and I needed to follow the story, I sat and made these.



A very happy afternoon.

And yes, William of Orange did invade, though he met with no opposition whatsoever because King James II was so unpopular, and a Catholic.  He was the William of William and Mary (they ruled jointly, she being the eldest daughter of James the Unpopular but raised an Anglican) but had no children.  She died of a fever. He fell off a horse.

Her sister Anne succeeded them. It was under her rule that England and Scotland finally united properly (up to then it was just the 'crowns'). She was best buddies with one Mrs Churchill, of that dynasty and Marlborough House in Oxfordshire. Anne had a lot of children, but sadly none survived her. So after her the throne passed to a German cousin - and the start of all the Georges.  I am pretty good at my English Monarchs - till that point.

I cannot begin to tell you how the Georges fit into the picture. I think it may have been something to do with the sister of Charles 1st, the daughter of James I and VI (in turn the son of Mary Queen of Scots). We need some more radio plays!

I haven't shared a video for a while, but I think that's mostly because my own web wanderings have been a bit curtailed of late.  It's been rather busy here, what with one thing and another. 

But, dear reader, panic not for normal service is being resumed. 

And Lin and Leandra of Paper Artsy have recently posted this video which I thought worth sharing - it's such a neat way to get colour down onto a background.

When I'm doing background papers I often use the Brayer to add paint, another little trick I learnt from Leandra, but this could be worth exploring too. 

I'm not a stamper, by the way. It's just not my thing. Or rather fine commercial stamps are not for me. I do make my own foam print blocks. 

And while we're on the subjects of backgrounds, you might find this one useful too. 

I particularly like printing page, but see what you think. 

And the weekend before last we found this gem of a garden at Claydon House. 

Clayton House itself is run by the National Trust, but the Verney family still have apartments there and they are responsible for the garden. 

The house was fascinating, especially if you are interested in Florence Nightingale. At one point her sister was the lady of the house, and she must have stayed there. The Trust is making the most of this famous visitor. 

As far as stately piles go, there are better ones, but this one is on my door step and is worth a look.

But on a sunny day the garden was doing what gardens do best - blooming away! 

And this rather amazing plant, which was the palest of yellows but had a black and yellow centre. The bees loved it. We think it might be a scabious, the flower sort of fits, but I thought they just came in blue!