Trying some new things

Hello hello, summer holiday is almost over and we're back to normal. How has your summer been? Just before we went on a few weeks trip I had sent out a little package to dear Dorthe. I had been trying new things, expanding my horizon. Like macrame, knitting, and crocheting in thread size mini.

Like the tiny crochet flower above (see the difference with the white flower in a thread size that is commonly used in our days), with an old crochet hook in size mini. My goodness, that's hard! I'm in awe of the ladies of old that made tons of amazingly beautiful projects with hooks like this one...

I finished a fabric and lace booklet that I had been working on some time ago. It has little pockets to hold sweet messages and a tiny notebook.

On pinterest I had found a tutorial by Lia Griffith for macrame, something I had been wanting to try my hands on for a while now. The result is below. It's a tiny macrame, which can be used as a necklace hanger for example, like Lia does in her tutorial.

Also, I tried knitting, with some cotton yarn I had for crocheting. And from my first little test swatch I made a tiny pocket message booklet with an embroidered uplifting message on the inside. This little message can be carried with you in your pocket, or even used as a wrist cuff. The knitting feels so soft, so cuddly. I added a crocheted heart and an embroidered button on the outside.

You are loved. A good reminder I think. It's something we tend to forget, isn't it?

Well, this is it for today, dear friends.

Wishing you a wonderful new week ahead.

xx Wen

The inspiring coast of Cornwall

Cornwall had been on my wish list for a long time before we made it there. I grew up in a coastal town myself and really longed to visit the south west end of the UK. And I was not disappointed. Now I really long to go back there again and again.

It's that's feeling of really being on vacation, that I also always have when we drive to our local coast and pass the sand dunes. On these coasts the trees are lower than inland. There's more bushes than trees, really. You hear the seagulls and smell the salt of the sea in the refreshing breeze. And of course there's the sea. The waves splashing on the beach over and over again.

It's the hours spent beachcombing.

Finding treasures in shells, stones, sea glass and pottery pieces.

It's a place so inspiring, I take loads and loads of photos to bring back home some of the beauty and memories. At home I wish to capture it all, studying in threads, fabrics, paints, and so on.

And I don't mind the weather on coasts like this.

I want to stay outdoors for as long as possible. You really have to drag me home then.

The hills and cliffs, the beaches and sea, they inspired me to experiment with crochet. I used a version of the so called wave stitch, and varied with working in back loop, front loop and both loops, to add some depth to the piece. I also started adding some tiny flowers in embroidery. Where this will lead me, I have no idea, but I'm having a whole lot of fun anyway :)

And the colours also inspired me to get some paint going as well, as you can see.

I love paintings worked in detail and abstracts equally. It's just like nature. Nature paints in wild landscapes, flora and fauna, magical small worlds in details, and abstracts and patterns.

Here's an abstract painting by nature:

Isn't it just gorgeous? Plant life holding on to ancient coastal rocks, washed by the tidal waves. 

Waves that bring little treasures to the coast: sea glasses, pottery, shells.

Found in rock pools and harbours.

Here the ocean has withdrawn. But only for a little while. You have plenty of time to do some beachcombing, but make sure to keep an eye on the tide and go back to dry land in time. I didn't, and got wet feet. Luckily I was close enough to the beach. Others had gone a little further and had to swim back. They had fun though, and got back safely.

I can see why so many artists are inspired by the Cornish coast.

Here are some of my favourite Cornwall inspired artists (in alphabetic order):

Amanda Richardson

Carolyn Saxby

Hannah Cole

Kirsty Elson

Melanie McDonald

Serena

The only thing that I regret, is that I didn't shoot more video on this trip.

Oh well, next time!

Is there a particular coast you have fond memories of or which you would love to visit?

Do you love beachcombing?

xx Wen

Fabric and crochet flowers

Hello dears, I promised to share more of the swap I sent to Odetta. I already shared:
* The swap Odetta made for me
* The card I sent her
* The little fabric book I made
* My lace heart with fabric flower
* And a little gift bag I made and filled with some goodies

So here are a few more things I made for her.

I crocheted a few different flowers.

And one crocheted flower I used on a fabric flower I made.

And everything I wrapped in little packages.

FREEBIES

I also sent her some printed vintage images and a couple of antique French cards.

You can find the scanned French cards HERE for your own use as a freebie.

~

Thank you so much Odetta for asking me to swap with you! It was so much fun and you have sent me so many gorgeous creations and goodies!

Thank you all for visiting and wishing you a beautiful day!


Hugs xx
Wen

Christmas cards

Yesterday, I managed to make another two Christmas cards.

For which I crocheted two little flowers.

Card making and Wen = Paper, glue, threads, buttons, fabric everywhere. Including in my hear.
You get the picture.

xx Wen

Once upon a time...

... a girl named Wen

found a little wooden box in a closet of her Mom's.

You might ask, who's business is it to be rummaging through someone else's stuff?

And you're so right.

But she couldn't help herself.

The collection of beautiful fabrics and colourful threads caught her attention

and was too tempting to be ignored.

Before she knew it

she found herself dug deep in soft and colourful piles of yummyness.

That's when she happened upon the little wooden box.

"Crochet Hooks" it had said on the lid.

Some tongue-out-of-mouth hours,
several misshaped attempts,
months of denying the existence of any hook

and some more misshaped attempts later

flowers began to appear on her hook.

Her heart leaped for joy.

This is the moment she knew

there was no way she could go back to her peaceful pre-hooked life.

Frantically she created flower after flower.

Even a little doily.

And a granny square.

Now the only sensible thing this girl can do
is making her Mom some loveliness.

By the way
these crochet hooks are antique...

They belonged to my great-grandmother.

Also with the hooks came this thingie...

It's a measuring thingie of sorts.

See?

Now, what else is in that closet...

xx Wen

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