17 for 2017: May

Life is still very busy and although I have not been blogging very much lately, there is still lots of creativity and crafting going on to share with you in the future.

Only two items to add this month, a walk and Yes! and Yippeeeee!!!! I met a fellow blogger!

17 – walks longer than an hour

SEVEN

One this month, during Half-term with my daughter’s three bouncy children. We were at Kingston Lacy from 11.15am until 5.30pm, walking through the gardens and woods and clambering up and over all sorts of obstacles. The children also did some carpentry: making a walking stick, a little easel and a bug hotel. It was a great day out.

We even saw some ‘pineapples’ – the children have run on ahead, can you see the dots in the distance? They call this the ‘Pineapple Path’ as they think the trees look like giant pineapples.

And here are a couple of lions especially for Cathy

I like hers better though!

16 – handmade greetings cards.

SIXTEEN – DONE!

15 – beachy things (split into 3 x 5s – 5 pieces of beach related art, 5 beach cleans on new beaches, 5 beach clean sculptures, assemblages or mandalas)

Zero so far – this is the one I’m most disappointed about, but there is still time.

14 – items for my Etsy shop

FIVE

Remains at 5.

13 – drawers, cupboards, shelves or boxes sorted out.

SEVEN

Still 7

I’ve shuffled things around a bit, but can’t claim anything has truly been sorted out.

12 – WIPs finished

SIX 

Still 6.

11 – paintings/ art works

Zero

10 – house and garden tasks

Zero

9 – textile books worked on.

Zero

8 – hand written letters to grandchildren

Zero

7 – find 7 interesting objects

Zero

6 – items made for Pippin or improvements to Pippin (the caravan in the garden).

Zero

5  – random acts of kindness

DONE 

although of course there are always more to do

4 – new National Trust properties visited

TWO

3 – make three up-cycled items of clothing 

Zero

2 – meet two fellow bloggers

ONE

So happy that I was able to meet up with Jane of Rainbow Junkie. She came to my local town and we able to meet up for a walk along Ringstead beach. It felt very special to sit over a cuppa after our walk and share life stories. She gave me the most generous and beautiful gift of her very own Celtic Coasters – I am so thrilled with them! Lucky, lucky me! Thank you Rainbow J. ❤

1 – car boot sale

Zero

0 – Buy zero new clothes

ZERO

~

Others participating in 17 for 2017 are Nanacathy,  Mrs Snail, Mrs Craft, Murtagh’s Meadow, Cherie,  Erin, Deb, …………… and? Let me know if you would like to be added to the list.

 

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17 for 2017: March and April

Life has been unpredictable and very busy since my return from a crazy fortnight holiday on 20th April. My attention is mostly away from the computer at the moment, but I just wanted to record my 17 for 2017 progress for March and April before May skids by.

A few targets for 2017 have been ticked off:

17 – walks longer than an hour

SIX

One in March : Badbury Rings

3 in January, 2 in February

16 – handmade greetings cards.

SIXTEEN – DONE!

You can see the Never-ending cards here.

15 – beachy things (split into 3 x 5s – 5 pieces of beach related art, 5 beach cleans on new beaches, 5 beach clean sculptures, assemblages or mandalas)

14 – items for my Etsy shop

FIVE

1 in Feb, 3 in March,

Three wigs that were in the WIP box were completed and put in my Etsy Shop in March

as well as 1 new pattern in April

I’m particularly excited about this one as I have been developing the pattern on and off for so long. I have loved making this jacket for Little Miss M and as presents for babies, but getting the pattern ready for general use is a whole other business. Gosh it takes such a lot of concentration!

13 – drawers, cupboards, shelves or boxes sorted out.

SEVEN

One in January and a shelf in February.

I cleared a Drawer in March, which led to clearing out the whole chest of drawers, 5 drawers in all. What a stash of yarn and abandoned UFOs I found

The UFOs have been unpicked and all yarn rolled and stashed in better order. I found things from over 10 years ago – so many projects abandoned for one reason or another – still, the yarn lives on to see another day. Chaotic life events have often interrupted the creative flow – it’s been an ongoing life-long theme. I’m sure I’m not alone.

12 – WIPs finished

SIX in March: see #14 above

and I managed to finish three blankets

3 blankets, first the Mexican Wave. I hope to give details of this one when life calms down a bit.

Then

a ‘Blanket for a Mermaid’, which I started for my niece (S) when I went to Japan

Again, details to follow.

and

the Dorset Hedgerow Blanket for my other niece (L)

Go the my PAGE of Throws to see some more photos and some links to POSTs about them

11 – paintings/ art works

10 – house and garden tasks

9 – textile books worked on.

8 – hand written letters to grandchildren

7 – find 7 interesting objects

6 – items made for Pippin or improvements to Pippin.

5  – random acts of kindness

FIVE – done!

The Hedgerow Blanket, for my niece and the Mexican Wave blanket which was a present for my daughter’s best friend were both Random Acts of Crafty Kindness.

Whilst in the Caribbean I was crocheting seahorses in all sorts of odd places. I had some wonderful encounters with both children and adults taking an interest in the craft and the seahorse – I gave away 5 all together. I’m hoping to write a bit more about these encounters, but the way things are at the moment, that might be a long time coming.

4 – new National Trust properties visited

TWO visited in April.

A 3.5 hour drive to ad from Gatwick Airport took me past two National Trust properties. They provided a welcome stop each way.

Hinton Ampner

and Petworth House

3 – make three up-cycled items of clothing 

2 – meet two fellow bloggers

1 – car boot sale

0 – Buy zero new clothes

ZERO – even though I was tempted to buy new shorts to go on holiday – I resisted – well done me!

~

Still much to do!

A list of others I know to be taking the challenge:

Mrs Snail, Nanacathy, Gillyflower, Murtagh’s Meadow., Ouch My Back hurts, Ruth’s Arc,  Cherie Langlois, Erin’s Big World, Country Ways and Cottage Days, Mrs. Craft

I have no idea why the post has gone all thin and down the middle – I’m having trouble with WordPress at the moment. Click on any photo to see it larger.

Modern

each other’s heart throb

hearts throbbing after leaping

over obstacles

~

My entry for our Photo Challenge this week: MODERN

It’s a bit of a cheat really as I didn’t take the photo – I was the jet-lagged Granny at home with the children so that my daughter and her husband could enter a cross-country Rocket Run. I knew it was going to be a big ask for me to have their three balls of energy just two days after I got back from my trip to the Caribbean, my energy was on the floor, but I teamed up with my son and his boys and together we had a good day – AND this picture makes it all so very worthwhile. I’m so glad they were happy for me to share it with you – it makes me smile every time I look at it.

The picture shows just what good friends they are, they went round the 8k course together helping each other over the obstacles and having fun. They have been married for 10 years – my marriage was falling apart after 10 years, to see my daughter so happy …. well, that’s all we want for our kids isn’t it.

(Oh, and it ticked off one of my daughter’s 17 for 2017 – go A!)

Why MODERN?

When I was in my 30s nobody I knew ran for pleasure and/or to keep fit – now all my children and their partners and lots of their friends seem to do quite a bit of running. Jobs are not so physically active it seems to be one of the modern ways to keep fit and meet socially.

Ok, a bit tenuous maybe, but any excuse to squeeze this photo into a blog post!

Including a stab at Ron’s Haiku Challenge prompts: LEAP and THROB

Have a go, it’s fun. Pop across to Ron’s and see all the other great entries, it is a great supportive Haiku community.

Please leave links to your MODERN photos in the comments so that I can include it in the Monthly Round- Up. Cathy and I always look forward to seeing your take on each subject.

Next week’s subject (posted from next Tuesday onwards) is BIRD

17 for 2017: February

I have set myself a few targets for 2017:

17 – walks longer than an hour

FIVE

3 in January

2 in February

On the 5th.Feb I went for a foggy walk with a friend near Hardy’s Monument.

We came across the remains of a burnt out car

Now that might not look very enticing to you – but since making art out of Beach Clean finds, a pile of charred and rusty trash is like treasure to me. Luckily my friend knows me well enough and was happy to help me gather bits from the ashes and put them in the boot of her car to take home.

If you would like to see pictures of a walk at Hardy’s Monument on a sunnier day, click HERE.

On the 12th Feb my daughter, her friend and their children joined me on a trip to Lewesdon Hill  where we hunted for a Geocache box (and found it!). We all went back to Washingpool, the best Farm Shop in Dorset, if not the world! for a delicious Sunday roast.

Washingpool was used as a location in the current TV drama ‘Broadchurch’.

16 – handmade greetings cards.

SIXTEEN – DONE!

15 – beachy things (split into 3 x 5s – 5 pieces of beach related art, 5 beach cleans on new beaches, 5 beach clean sculptures, assemblages or mandalas)

14 – items for my Etsy shop

ONE

The pattern for this Jane Austen inspired wig is at last in the Etsy and Ravelry shop as a PDF download.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

13 – drawers, cupboards, shelves or boxes sorted out.

TWO

One in January and in February the shelf in my bedroom

12 – WIPs finished

I have been working on 2, not quite done yet.

11 – paintings/ art works

Working towards an exhibition in May/June 2018

10 – house and garden tasks (split into 5x 2s – make two quiches, paint two chairs, complete two house projects, complete two garden projects, raise two pumpkin plants)

9 – textile books worked on.

8 – hand written letters to grandchildren

7 – find 7 interesting objects

6 – items made for Pippin or improvements to Pippin.

5  – random acts of kindness

4 – new National Trust properties visited

3 – make three up-cycled items of clothing 

2 – meet two fellow bloggers

1 – car boot sale

0 – Buy zero new clothes

ZERO

~

It is so good to review this every month – much to do!

A list of others I know to be taking the challenge:

Mrs Snail, Nanacathy, Gillyflower, Murtagh’s Meadow., Ouch My Back hurts, Ruth’s Arc,  Cherie Langlois, Erin’s Big World, Country Ways and Cottage Days, Mrs. Craft

 

If you would like to join us leave a link in the comments below.

 

17 for 17: January

My targets for the year:

17 – walks longer than an hour

3 Done (14 to go)

Walks in Wales

1. 2nd. Jan nearly 90 minute walk on Newgale Beach
2. 3rd.Jan coast path from Nine Wells to Trelerw and back.
3. 4th.Jan Newgale in drizzle, back to Number35 for delicious Apple Crumble and cream and a pot of good strong Welsh tea.

16 – handmade greetings cards.

DONE

I’m a bit taken aback by this but I have already reached my target! It took me all year in 2016 to make 15 handmade cards, but I suddenly got the urge to make Valentine’s cards for my grandchildren and churned out a few more at the same time. 18 Never-Ending Cards and one (top left) made with a photo of some Love Rocks printed on A4 card and folded once.

15 – beachy things (split into 3 x 5s – 5 pieces of beach related art, 5 beach cleans on new beaches, 5 beach clean sculptures, assemblages or mandalas)

14 – items for my Etsy shop

13 – drawers, cupboards, shelves or boxes sorted out.

1 shelf (12 to go)

from this 

to this

I found 4 pots of Wood Glue – so that’s where I keep it.

The rest of the cupboard needs doing now

goodness knows what lurks in that repurposed veg rack

12 – WIPs finished

11 – paintings/ art works   Working towards an exhibition in May/June 2018

10 – house and garden tasks (split into 5x 2s – make two quiches, paint two chairs, complete two house projects, complete two garden projects, raise two pumpkin plants)

9 – textile books worked on.

8 – hand written letters to grandchildren

7 – find 7 interesting objects

I have already found masses of objects which interest me on my beach cleans, every item has a human story behind it, but it’s hard to choose ones that I think might be of more general interest ….

Does this qualify?

a rusted aerosol with the outer casing having completely gone, apart from the top. I have taken loads of photos of the colours and textures of this object. There are a couple more in this post on my Beach Clean Art blog.

I might count this as Number One find, haven’t decided yet.

6 – items made for Pippin or improvements to Pippin.

Pippin is the old caravan that sits in the garden. I got her when I was having renovations done on my house and now she is a perfect spot to store lego and be a lovely little haven or playhouse – I do have a fondness for caravans.

Her interior is very drab, I’m hoping to cheer things up a bit with patchwork and crochet cushions and curtains.

5  – random acts of kindness

4 – new National Trust properties visited

3 – make three up-cycled items of clothing 

2 – meet two fellow bloggers

Meeting fellow bloggers is great fun! In 2015/6 I had the very real pleasure of  meeting Mrs Snail, Judy of Edwina’s Episodes, Deb of Country Ways and Cottage Days and Sheila of Sewchet.

Who will it be this year? Exciting!

1 – car boot sale

0 – Buy zero new clothes

 

There are ELEVEN others joining in with the 17 for 2017 list of targets that I know of:

Mrs Snail,  Nanacathy,  Gillyflower,  Murtagh’s Meadow.,  Ouch My Back hurts,  Ruth’s Arc,  Cherie Langlois,  Erin’s Big World,  A LifeLessSimple,  TheWillowWitch, OntoMyNext40Years

Let me know if you are too and I’ll add you to the list. It will be fun to see how everyone gets on.

Cathy of Nanacathy and I tend to give an update each month but is is entirely up to each person to post or not as they wish – the joy of this is that each 17er makes up the rules for themselves as they go – so come on in and join us – it’s never too late!

17 for 2017

Inspired by Cathy at Nanacathy, I joined in with 16 for 2016. It was fun and motivating to have written it down for others to see and sharing the achievements each month with Cathy and other blog readers. No rules, you make them up for yourself as you go along.

I didn’t complete all my targets (you can see how I got on here) but, for me it was good to have an aim and see how I got on and I learnt a lot from it. I’m hoping my 2017 targets are more realistic, whilst still offering challenges.

17 – walks longer than an hour

I often go on walks, but was surprised to discover in 2016 that they are rarely an hour long (most are 30 – 40mins). I love long walks and I love sharing them with Wild Daffodil readers so I feel quite determined to hit this target in 2017.

16 – handmade greetings cards.

15 – beachy things (split into 3 x 5s – 5 pieces of beach related art, 5 beach cleans on new beaches, 5 beach clean sculptures, assemblages or mandalas)

14 – items for my Etsy shop

13 – drawers, cupboards, shelves or boxes sorted out.

12 – WIPs finished

I have an embarrassingly large box full of knitting and crochet W.I.Ps

11 – paintings/ art works

Working towards an exhibition in May/June 2018

10 – house and garden tasks (split into 5x 2s – make two quiches, paint two chairs, complete two house projects, complete two garden projects, raise two pumpkin plants)

9 – textile books worked on.

8 – hand written letters to grandchildren

7 – find 7 interesting objects

(Thank you to Murtagh’s Meadow for this idea)

6 – items made for Pippin or improvements to Pippin.

5  – random acts of kindness

4 – new National Trust properties visited

3 – make three up-cycled items of clothing

I found these sites: Refashionista,  Creating My Way to Success to help me on my way and I’m sure I will discover others.

2 – meet two fellow bloggers

1 – car boot sale

I’ve never been. I’m slightly worried that my propensity for hoarding will get out of hand. I hope to keep this to just the one.

0 – Buy zero new clothes

Make, up-cycle or buy from charity shop. (Apart from specialist activity items – eg I might need a new swim suit – upcycling old ones? – aargh!what a hideous thought!)

Modern clothing manufacture is so very bad for the environment so I’m hoping to cut down on my carbon footprint with this one. Anyone wanting to donate some old clothes for upcycling or using in textile art are VERY welcome to do so!

~

I am delighted to discover that there is a growing band of us doing 17 for 2017: Mrs Snail, Nanacathy, Gillyflower, Murtagh’s Meadow., Ouch My Back hurts, Ruth’s Arc,  Cherie Langlois, Erin’s Big World

Anyone else?

It’s not too late to join in.

And here is another type of aspirational list made by Lillabella Makes

I’m looking forward to reading how we all get on in 2017.