Some more...

...LOTV cuties.

I have been meaning to get some of the LOTV calendar fairies and finally treated myself during one of their recent sales. I haven't made any cards with the images yet but I have been playing with a bit of colouring.

This little miss is so cute playing around in the fallen leaves...

 ...she was such fun to colour but don't look too closely. I decided to add a bit of sparkle after I had fussy cut the image and horror of horrors - I dropped the Spectrum sparkle pen lid and it had ink inside which splashed all over the place (including my image). Most mopped off but my little miss has rather a 'glow' around her neck & chin area...oops.

With Halloween fast approaching, this little cutie is just perfect...

...I think she is destined for a treat bag rather than a card - I kept the sparkle pens away from this one LOL.

Autumn has certainly arrived in my neck of the woods. ......................................

What a week...

...so much to do, so little time.

It is the end of the performance year at work and everyone has been busy putting together their self-appraisals. It is not a time of the year that anyone enjoys as there so much pressure to get everything you want/need to say into 500 words.

For me as a manager, there are 12 x 500 words to read through and 12 x 1-2-1 chats to carry out.

It doesn't tend to leave a lot of time or energy for much else.

However, despite everything that has been going on - Mother Nature decided to grace us with s few lovely days with temps more like Summer than Spring.

The grass got a trim and I started to look at fence panels & planters that had become very shabby over the Winter.

Probably the easiest thing to do would have been to just stick with the current fence colour - Red Cedar - but no...I decided I needed a change and ended up spending far longer at my local DIY super store than I intended.

I decided to change to Forest Green.

I got home, unpacked the car. Then the doubt kicked in.

So instead of getting stuck in on the fence at the front of the house, I had to 'try' the colour somewhere it wouldn't really show if I didn't like it.

I went for the back garden side of the back gate.

One & a half hours later...

The back gate is newly stained and looks very nice but I had forgotten how long it takes to get a good coverage as there are lots of nooks & crannies on the fencing.

This is not going to be a quick job.

Let's hope Mother Nature is generous with a few more lovely weekends so that I can actually get the front fence done.

The planters got a tidy and a couple of pots of lavender pansies but I have my eye on some sage coloured planters.

The next thing will be to give the front door a new coat of paint. Do I go for "Forest" or "Sage"?

Decisions, decisions...............................................................................

"Spring is sprung...

...the grass is riz.

I wonders where the birdies is.
The birdies they is on the wing.
Now ain't that absurd?
I thought the wings was on the bird."

I learnt this rhyme when I was young and never knew where it came from. A quick search of the 'interweb' shows that there is some debate as to whether this is one rhyme or two that have become linked over time. The author(s) is another question that seems to cause debate.

All I know is that I learnt it as a child and thought it was fun.

 

The "Thurrock Blooming Marvels" have been hard at work getting the town planting ready for Spring...

...and this bed is already starting to catch the eye...

 ...the mini 'tete-a-tete' daffs are bobbing about in the breeze...

...and providing a lovely splash of colour.

Spring is one of those times when I wish I had a dash-cam in my car because the 'Blooming Marvels' have done a wonderful job around the area with masses of daffs of all sizes & shades on roundabouts and along the duel-carridgeways - if there was somewhere safe to stop I would take some photos but as this is the route in & out of the Gateway Port it is a 'Clearway' so no stopping.

So I can't share all the wonderful planting in the area with you but I can assure you, the 'Marvels' have done a fabulous job and it certainly makes me smile as I drive by these 'fields' of daffs.................................................................

Knitting looms...

...are great fun.

Once you get the hang of the basic process you can actually build up quite a bit of speed and it is surprising how quickly your knitting grows.

My local wool shop had some pretty new yarns in just before Christmas - here is the first one...

...the base colours being aqua & off-white with speckles of green, orange and charcoal scattered all over. I used the circular loom to create the hat and a rectangular loom to create the scarf. I think I'll add some tassels to finish off the scarf.
The other yarn I bought was this heather mix...

...I love how the colours create a pattern without you even having to try. I will be making a matching scarf with the remaining yarn.

200g of Double Knit yarn are plenty to create a nice snuggly warm set to keep the cold out during the Winter months..............................................................

Autumn has...

...officially been with us for a week now.

There doesn't seem to be much evidence of the lovely 'Fall' colours just yet but the leaves are starting to fall...

...these leaves are not from my garden but the Elder is starting to shed. This will be the last year of Autumn colour in my garden as the trees come down at the end of November - if they don't the garage wall will cave in as the trunks are pressing against it.

At primary school, we all entered a competition to write a poem.

We were provided with a start line - "Autumn leaves are falling down" - and we had to continue from there. I was lucky enough to win a prize and have my poem read out on the radio but unfortunately our poems were never returned and the only part that I have ever remembered was:-

Autumn leaves are falling down,
Orange, yellow, green and brown.
They lay in heaps along the street,
And make a carpet for my feet.

I know there were more verses but after all these years (and there are a lot LOL) I'm surprised that I even remember that much.

So Autumn is with us and after a hot & humid Summer it is noticeable that the temperatures have taken a nose-dive. But it is dry and the days have still been warm - it's just the very chilly starts and the now chilly evenings because it is getting dark so much earlier.

Most definitely knitting & crochet weather.....................................................................

I managed...

...some more colouring.

Armed with some stamped images and my ZIG Clean Color pens, I found a shaded bench over at Barleylands and just enjoyed a couple of hours of colouring.

I do so love this Sweet Dixie stamp...

 ...and I just sat and played around with some different colour combos.

I thought I'd have a go at some more traditional colours...

 ...and was very happy with the outcome. This (and the other completed images) will get a bit of stickles bling when I get a moment.
The very first time I coloured this stamp I went for shades of lavender & aqua so I thought I'd try some stronger mauves...

...this was a mix of violets & purples (blue tones & red tones) and certainly gives a bolder finish.
As the red & green colour combo had worked so well, I did another...

...but this time I made the hat slightly paler.
I love aqua/teal shades so that is what I went for with this one...

...I have a new word die that will go perfectly with this and some pretty ribbons. Let's see if what I have in my head will actually turn out as I want.

I can't believe how quickly this week has flown.

With the rain yesterday & Friday it certainly was a reminder that we are now heading towards Halloween & Christmas at a rate of knots.................................................

Gosh the nights...

...are starting to draw in quickly.

It's early September, temperatures are still hot & humid but it is getting dark pretty early.

I don't know about you but dark evenings feel like you should be snuggled in front of a fire with the curtains closed and some knitting or crochet on your lap whilst enjoying some TV.

Well you can forget the fire - with this humid weather we are already yo-yoing between 'comfortable' and 'melting'. However, the knitting is present & correct.

The weather men have been threatening that this Winter will be harsh as we have had a very warm Summer so I've made a start on the scarves for Christmas presents...

 ...this "Fleece" yarn by Robin is so soft and snuggly - I just wish it came in a wider range of colours...

...just one ball will make a nice cosy scarf and as size 6mm needles are used, it knits up very quickly.

Today, we have our first get together of the "Knit & Natter" group at lunchtime - I hope all goes well.

(Can't cross my fingers otherwise I wont be able to knit LOL)...........................................

We have been having...

...a lot of hot and humid weather.

However, that doesn't stop me from having candles burning in my home to bring a cosy glow and to add a lovely fragrance.

I recently bought a wicker candle lamp from "Naked Flame" as Ian the owner was having a sale to clear some space for some ne stock items.

I also bought a pillar candle to use in the lamp...

...and it is burning beautifully. The candle is burning down without any mess and the fragrance is wonderful.

This candle is from Wax Lyrical "Mandarin & Cranberry" which is technically a Winter/Christmas smell but I love this fragrance and would happily burn it all year round...one slight problem though...it has been discontinued (although there may be something similar in this year's collection).

I love fruit & spice smells at any time of year.

If you like candles, what is your favourite scent..........................................................

Twinkle, twinkle...

...little star light.

I love candles but don't always have the time to burn a large candle jar effectively so wax melts are a perfect alternative.

During my weekly trip to Barleylands I popped into the new candle shop "Naked Flame" and saw this...

...it is an electric wax warmer but it can also be used as a table lamp...and yes, it came home with me.

It is lovely to have something that can be used for more than one purpose - something we craft folk can relate to.

I took my Sister to have a look at the candles because she is even more of a candle nut than I am and she came away with a Kringle candle jar "Jingle All the Way" and a Classic candle wax melt "Chocolate Brownie" - she loves chocolate and Christmas (who would'a thunk).

I had a call from my Sister yesterday evening to say that her Kringle candle was burning merrily and she was all snug & cosy away from the grotty weather outside.

It doesn't look as if the weather is going to be any better today so I can see an evening of candle-light and comfy smells when I get home from work..............................................................

What a dull & gloomy...

...Sunday.

As I look out of my window there is really nothing to support that today is the first day of Spring.

So I thought I'd share some spring-like coloured yarns that I am currently crocheting with...

...they are DK soft baby yarns in gentle variegated shades.

The central ball is a pretty mix of lavenders and this is the last ball for the item that I am making. I've started on some of the green yarn but I still can't decide whether to keep to the greens or to mix in some of the yellows - I'll have to decide soon as I'm coming to the end of the present ball that I'm using.

I like throws especially for those evenings when it isn't really cold enough to have the heating on but a bit too chilly without it. I have a number of tartan fleece throws but thought I'd make some pretty crocheted ones. I'll let you see once I've finished..................................................................

Here are just a few...

...of my Christmas mugs.

I can assure you - I have many more.

These few are currently being used...

 ...but I have a whole lot more that need to come out of the cupboard now we are in the run up to Christmas. My Santa mug set (mug/coaster/tray) is one I got last year...

...and is perfect for carrying a gingerbread coffee and a couple of Mr Kipling's Ginger Whirls.

I have quite a collection of Starbucks mugs and I'll have to try and get a photo of all my ceramic "Red cups" that I have collected over the years......................................................................................

There are times...

...when I wish I was in the passenger seat.

Autumn is one of those times because I would love to be able to snap away at all the wonderful colours that I see whilst out driving.

I have been keeping my fingers crossed for a week that we wouldn't have any windy days so that I might get a chance to snap the wonderful colours that I have been seeing.

This is the view towards Noak Bridge from Barleylands...

 ...the bushes in the office car park are heavy with berries...

 ...wonderful colours but a bit worrying as Country-folk will tell you this is a sign of a bad Winter on its way. The office is certainly surrounded by plenty of colour...

 ...it all looks fabulous as you drive by.

There is a corner by the Noak Bridge exit from the roundabout by the A127 that is an amazing array of colour but there is nowhere that I can park safely to get out and take some photos. I will just have to enjoy the colours as I go past.

Closer to home, the road that links Horndon with Lower Dunton looks like an avenue of flame.

I couldn't stop at the best vantage point but I still managed to snap some of the beautiful colours...

...these photos were taken late Sunday afternoon and the sunshine was still catching all the wonderful shades of yellow & red.

It is fabulous seeing all these colours as Mother Nature changes her outfit before getting ready for Winter.

Wouldn't it be great if you could have cameras in your glasses so that you could snap whatever you see....................................................................

How did you spend...

...the first day of Autumn?

According to GOOGLE - 23 September 2015 was officially the first day of Autumn.

 

I kicked my day off with a very large Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Starbucks in one of their pretty Autumn paper cups...

...this was a treat as I had earned a "freebie" on my rewards card so I made the most of it.

The weather was actually pretty good after an awfully wet Tuesday (typical as I had a day off on Tuesday) but I have to say that there isn't much in the way of Autumn colour showing where I live. I think Mother Nature is completely confused as a lot of the trees are starting to lose their leaves but most are still showing green.

I'm looking forward to the changes in colour which are normally quite noticeable where I live because we have quite a bit of woodland nearby.

How did you herald the start of the Autumn season?.............................................................

Pumpkin Spiced Latte...

...is back.

So Autumn has officially arrived at Starbucks...

...and this is the perfect way to start the working day.

Have you seen the lovely decorated paper cups that Starbucks are using at the moment?

The chillier days may now be with us but so are the lovely specialist coffees so I'm happy and enjoying my PSL.

Yummy......................................................

An Autumn...

...nip to the air.

Don't know where the forecast "Indian Summer" has got to but it certainly isn't anywhere near here.

So with Autumn colours in mind, I thought I would share this card with you...

 ...a few Autumn leaves (silk). A KennyK digi image coloured with Copic pens...

...and a piece of inked card using mica sprays.

I love Autumn days when they are bright & sunny because Autumn colours are fabulous. However, like any other time of the year - things don't look so great when it is dull , overcast & chilly.

I can't believe we are halfway through the second week in September already - just where is the time going?

The garden has had a big tidy-up but I bet we will have more rain and the weeds and grass will be back up to your knees in no time...ho-hum.

Time to start digging out those Winter woolies; me thinks.........................................................

Certainly the time of year...

...for more 'comfort foods'.

As the weather starts to turn and the nights are drawing in, do you find yourself turning to more 'comfort' type foods?

I certainly do...and whilst some are quite healthy - veggie stews, soups etc. (as long as you don't include the chunks of fresh, buttered bread LOL)...there are others that are not so healthy.

More cakes start to creep in...

...and with the lovely Muffin stall at the Farmer's market twice a month, it is easy to have a supply on hand - not good for the waist-line but boy do they taste yummy.

Packets of crumpets also seem to leap into my shopping basket more often as the weather gets chillier - who can resist a lovely hot crumpet with lashings of butter Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Do you notice a change in your eating habits as the seasons change?...............................................

I can't believe...

...how good I've been.

Rather than buy a lot of ready prepared veggies, the last couple of weeks I've been going to the Farm Shop at Barleylands.

(photo is from the Windows 10 selection of desktop images)

As we head into Autumn (yes I know we haven't had a proper Summer - yet!) I always look forward to the appearance of things like Butternut Squash and the seasonal veggies that start to arrive in more of the shops - but they can be quite expensive. My local Morrison's had Butternuts at a £1 each and they were quite small - the Farm shop were doing them at 4 for a £1 and they were a lot larger.

In all the years that I've lived in this area, I have driven past the Farm shop but never ventured in until two weeks ago.

I have now visited twice and each time come out loaded with a fabulous selection of goodies.

Squashes and cauliflower, cabbages and carrots.

I have also been very industrious - my freezer is packed with freshly prepared squash & cauliflower and I now have a batch of veggie stew boxed up and ready to add to the stock. I have to say I'm quite proud of myself for actually getting it all done.

Unfortunately, my freezer isn't large otherwise I would be back at the Farm shop for more veggies to add but never mind. It is now on my list of places to visit regularly and I intend to keep my freezer well stocked with fresh goodies this Winter.

Gosh...straighten the halo Toni LOL

At least now I know I have a stock of some of my favourite veggies and I'm looking forward to tucking in....................................................................................

A "Betty"...

...for all seasons.

I promised you a Summer & Autumn Betty to go with the previous images that I had coloured so here they are.

I don't know about you but red/white/blue makes me think of the Summer, especially as these are often the colours used for bunting and other things that you see at the seaside. So my Summer Fairy Betty is decked out in R/W/B...

...as you can see and with bunting in mind, I coloured the edges of her wings in alternate colours...

...this colour combo would also be perfect for any 4th July crafting...

...and don't you just love those stripy tights and those boots.
An Autumn Betty just had to be in a combo of rusts & golds...

...and to be honest, the colours used were selected pretty much at random...

...but I love the way it all came together - just wish I had made a note of the colours I used because I really love the way they are working. However, I got carried away with my colouring, as usual and was selecting colours that I thought would 'work' without actually paying much attention to the specific colours.

Ho hum, never mind...I'm pleased with the results for both of these versions of the Creative Expressions Fairy Betty.

So now I have a complete set of coloured images to cover all the seasons - including Christmas (the season of good will) - if you would like to see the other completed images, just scroll down to the earlier 'Betty' posts..................................................................................

Some more...

...Betty Boots.

I seem to be on a journey through the seasons with my coloured Betty images.

In the first post I did about this little Miss, I had coloured one as a "Santa's helper" using green & red. For this one I reached for the aqua & beige shades...

 ...for some reason, this colour combo makes me think of Winter...

...so this image will be suitable for either a Christmas card or a Winter birthday.
So moving on through the seasons...

...lemon & mauve mean Spring bulbs so a perfect colour combo for the Springtime...

..."Betty" can take on many looks & uses just by a change of colour.

Next on the list will have to be Summer & Autumn so I'll have to have a bit of a play around with some colour combos.

On the two images above I haven't added any bling or background shading. I thought I'd leave that until I actually decide what I'm going to use the images for. In the meantime, the colouring continues.......................................................................