what to do with all the strawberries

we knew it was about time to go strawberry picking, the hot weather had been putting us off.  So we set off for Trevaskis farm, a wonderful farm shop, restaurant and pick your own farm.  We went a little crazy with the strawberries

of course we tried to eat more than we picked but it just wasn't possible.  We even picked a few raspberries too (which were quite delicious).

there was even time for a lovely father daughter moment

when we got home there was only kitchen time, we had picked so many strawberries!  Some have been frozen, some have been made into jam, some....

were turned into a delicious delectable strawberry and cream cake by Teague.  And of course there are still a few left over in the fridge for picking at.  Don't you just love strawberry picking time?

light boxes and solarising

while I've been busy sewing and sewing the boys have been  making a light box and wow I can't quite believe how much better the photos are with it

this one

and this one.  This led to some fun with photoshop...

I just love this black rabbit

and this solarised doll.  I could play all day with effects on photoshop (effects are all I can do though!)

So now I just have to photograph all my stock, hmm could take a while...

new things

I have finally opened my etsy shop.  It is a very tentative opening, just a couple of things that I will add to gradually (I still have to build up stock for another craft fair!)

so this pretty purse (I do love houses)

and a little boat keyring.

 I can't seem to get the button thingy onto my blog so I will have to link my shop LiliPopo

I have also uploaded a little cat bag charm or keyring onto folksy, these are such fun to make, each one is different

and finally, a little something I have been working on but is not quite ready yet

Sadly, the camping is cancelled because the weather is due to break just as we were due to go.  But I'm sure there will be many more campable days over the summer.

wants...

It's no good, I'm wanting again already.  I haven't even bought my clogs yet (waiting for a trip to London so that I can try them on before buying, unusually patient and practical) but I want this book

my birthday is coming up but I couldn't wait this time, because, aside from being written by the wonderful Lewis Carroll and having the most excellent rythm it is illustrated by the most absolutely wonderful Mervyn Peake with most fantabulous cross hatching. 

 Cross hatching is something I love most dearly (see the work of Edward Gorey) and when coupled with gorgeous nonsense it makes me even happier.  I am most excited because I have managed to find a reasonable copy (it's out of print) from what seems to be a lovely lady  who has rooms full of books in her house and it is winging it's way to me as I write.  So I will sit and wait by the letterbox for three days until it arrives... 

Folksy Friday camping

Ok, I am rather late with my folksy friday this week but it's all about camping. With summer here and a few days off next week thoughts of camping are in the air.

This gorgeous little caravan of love stamp, is from skull and cross buns

I love everything rescued and revived do but these cushions are a beautiful yellow and I'm sure they would make camping more comfy, and it needs to be more comfy these days.

and speaking of cosiness, what would camping be without a crochet blanket, I love this one from the sunroom

and beautiful yellow bunting (feeling in a sunshiny mood today) to mark our territory from juicyfig

finally, for those of us who can't finish a whole bottle, this rather elegant hand turned bottle stopper from diggi woodturning

Now, off to look for a campsite!

getting ready for Mazey Day in Penzance

Busy getting ready for Mazey Day, part of the Golowan festival

cat skins

doll skins

a basket of unfinished bits and bobs

some finished rabbits

I know all these things will be finished by Saturday, really I do

a curtain that needs to be an apron for Saturday, could be pushing it a bit

Summer solstice

sunset at Sennen

dawn chorus at Marazion

good morning Mr magpie, how's your wife today?

first footsteps

sunrise at Marazion

woodland fun

Just recently all I seem to be spending too much time with this 

and so Teague suggested the woods were a good place to relax and for him to use his new survival knife (a thirteenth birthday present)

den building was the order of the day for J and the explorers while I soaked up the sun in a clearing and watched, with no sewing in my hands

and, despite the sullen look on T's face in this photo everyone felt satisfied by the end of a wonderful couple of hours in greenery

the den was greatly improved upon after this but I forgot to take a picture of them in it!

Folksy Friday charm bracelets

A quick folksy friday today on charm bracelets because little A who will soon be into double figures loves charm bracelets





Just in case these are not as clickable as they should be I will post some links the candy bracelet, london and puppies, the lovely felty one, the beautiful beady one, and the cute seaside one.

I have cheated a little by having two from one seller but I couldn't choose!

Cowardy Custard

I set off for my sea swim yesterday, the sea was unusually warm as the tide had come in over hot sand and I was looking forward to a warm swim for a change when I encountered a whole team (probably not the appropriate group term) of jelly fish

Ok, perhaps they were a little smaller than this one

and sadly they were a little less blue than these ones, in fact they looked remarkably like the one below but not being much of a sea creature expert I couldn't swear to it

My son, who is much more of a sea creature expert than me, insisted that they were not of the stingy type but I did not like the idea of sharing my swim with them so I waded for a while rather than swimming which apparently, according to said son, makes me a cowardy custard.

Beautiful days

I have been having such a hankering to cross the water and travel but I know we probably can't afford it this year so I have made up my mind to enjoy England instead.  Fortunately these are the kind of days that make me feel so lucky, lucky to live here, lucky to home educate and lucky to be able to do my work out and about in the sunshine and I can forget my hankering for a while.

at Cape Cornwall

sewing

swimming in the sea pool

the cove

and I think this is sea thrift but please correct me if I'm wrong.  Do you hanker for travelling or are you happy to enjoy and explore the place you live?

An art show in the changing rooms

We are lucky enough to have a stunning 1930's Lido (or outdoor pool) in Penzance, The Jubilee Pool.  This weekend was the 75th anniversary of the pool and it was celebrated with an art show in the changing cubicles.

 a planning application to build a Tracy Island on top of the pool.

This is the entire contents of an artist's bathroom in her cubicle

cutting hair to send off to help clean up the oil spill.  Apparently it really does work and the hair can be reused many times.

But my son still prefers the sea to the pool