November Mists And Cracklings

Misted, smoky, damp days of November are here. I love their scent. Sweet browning fallen apples, tangled with leaves fermenting on mossy damp lawns. The sharp temperature drop at night  mixed with wood smoke that spirals out of cottage chimneys. Warmth beckons from cosy windows looking so much more inviting at this time of year. It's that time to dig out hats, scarves, gloves and big socks that come up to the knees again.
Skies have been illuminated with flame and cracklings.

While outside is Autumn, inside has been one step ahead.
Winter and Christmas has stopped by at my desk.
Holly and Mistletoe hares to be added to my Etsy shop.

                         

 And some more pendants.

 I've just finished reading a story with a unicorn. It also had wonderful dragons, magic and Glastonbury woven into it's pages too and the theme of the story is so current and relevant to today. I won't give too much away but suggest you go and read more! The book is called  'Tilly Greenway And The Secrets Of The Ancient Keys' By Essi Tolling. 'Watchers' is book one of a trilogy. There is an Amazon link on the right side bar. I think it would make a wonderful Christmas gift for an older child or teen? Or if you are like I am... then of course also yourself. ;)
I love the way that books now have trailers, what a great idea. I found this one on you tube.

Sparkles And Spiders

A sparkling morning.
Little spiders, artists of the garden, their diamond rain dropped filligre webs enchanted  my day? If the sun had not come out and revealed the woven masterpieces would a different day have emerged? 

It was one of those uplifting moments that makes your heart sing and feel a surge of gratefulness for glimpsing  a fragment of nature's overpowering beauty.
Our days are shaped by moments, good and bad, they influence our day. If we look for the beautiful moments we weave and embroider that day to wear.

I'm  loving the autumn light, thin through the fading turning leaves. A wonderful time to be out catching magic on  camera. The seed pod below, I see a crown? And below the glistening water drops on fennel, a chandelier fit for a fairies house?

Later in the day when the light began to fade I walked. Into the quiet mist, and greeted the gentle folk with a warm 'hello'.

And then into a veil.

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The other day a good hour was spent replying to comments on this blog, only for them to disappear before being posted. I apologise for not re- doing them but it just took so long and it was very late at night and... well, there are no other excuses. Sigh... Blogger gremlins do seem to be around a lot lately? I really appreciate all of your comments!  And I hope that those of you who ordered the Witch light book are enjoying it! x

I've been busy making more pendants for my shop (among other things) and here are some of the first batch. More sleepy little creatures in nests.

Wishing you a magical 'All Hallows Eve'
 xx

Apple Scented October

October is apple scented. We have three trees in the garden. Two sweet eating varieties and an old yellow sour crab apple.

These apples are not off our trees, but instead at our local apple day. So many wonderful kinds and the smell, so sweet and delicious.We arrived there a little late so all the toffee apples had sold out, but there was a little bit of cider left. It's school holidays next week so I think toffee apples could be on the to do list? Nights are drawing in now and I've been lost in the beautiful words of Susan Fletcher's 'Witch Light'.
I enjoyed it so much first time round in September that I have to admit I've been reading it again. (click on the amazon link on the right hand side of my blog for more info) I couldn't put this book down.Wait a bit until it's cold enough to light a fire, then sit by candlelight and crackling log and I'm sure you will enjoy.  

Days are quiet and warm inside my wooden studio.
A new  'Autumn Hare' has appeared....

And will be  available as a print in my Etsy shop soon.

When I was out walking a few weeks ago, I came across this piece of wood. Some trees had been felled and sawn up and this one single slice had been left behind. Of course when I saw it, I saw treasure, or a creation. So it came home with me and sat patiently on my desk until the other day when I turned it into this.
                                                                  
                                                                          'Wood Fairy'

 I went back again to the figure in the nest sketch in this post as I felt it would be the perfect shape to fit and suited it perfectly.  I'll also be listing Wood Fairy in my Etsy shop shortly.

On the subject of nests, we've been cutting a large area of brambles down and my daughter came across these old ones.

Aren't they the most adorable clever creations.
xx

Birds

My last post's title seems rather odd now as summer most definitely woke up again. Who would have thought that we would be basking in the most glorious hot days in October.  Shorts and tee shirt weather and no need for a cardigan in the evenings.

Nights are clear and warm with windows thrown open wide and the song of the tawny owl lulls us to sleep while Jupiter shines in the starlight.
I've been busy with birds.

 

And my desk has been as colourful as a summer garden.

"Delicious autumn!   My very soul is wedded to it, 
and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth 
seeking the successive autumns."  
-   George Eliot  

Summer's Farewell

Summer is tired and sleepy. Her eyes close, her lids heavy with faded  petals. She tells the remaining flowers as she rests her head, that they can stay a while yet, if they so wish. But she warns them of the bite that might come on cold nights when the sky is clear and covered with a twinkling cloak.....

The Mud Maiden here is lost in slumber as summer will soon be. Isn't she beautiful. I'm sure many of you have seen her before. She sleeps in the cornish countryside in the Lost Gardens Of Heligan.  Created by Artists Sue and Pete Hill. You can read more about her here. 
We paid her a visit during our wanderings near the sea.                          

 And her friend of course The Giant.

August's goodbyes took our breath away with spectacular skies.

Her farewell also inspired my latest painting.
                                                        'Passing Through'

Which is available as a print in my Etsy shop here.

And now autumn has brought gifts.

And a Zazzle shop. If you fancy a new mug to drink your hot chocolate by the fireside, indoors or out  under the moonlight then please have a browse. There are also other bits and bobs such as ipad covers, iphone cases etc and I'm still adding new things. Have a look here.  I'm afraid the mugs don't come with marshmallows though. ;-)

The Dancer And The Devil

All is not as it seems in the woods. There is a doorway... I step through and follow a path lined with candles. The air is still. I breath the faint sweet scent of fallen leaves and woodsmoke. "Mind you don't stray from the path..." the trees whisper...  There are memories, possessions scattered. Abandoned suitcases their contents spilled. dressses, shoes, books, the best silver, and photographs, so many photographs.

What would you include if you had just twelve minutes to pack?

 A man sits writing. He passes a letter. "Find Colette" he pleads desperately..

Another man plays piano, and another banjo, sat on the forest floor surrounded by twig and leaf.
The path goes on and the light is fading. More photographs and suitcases, spectacles and hair.
I shiver.
A lady, angry and heart sore sits in a bath cutting letters up with scissors.

I reach another door and step through to a clearing. The stage is set twinkling with fairylights around lampshades and sparkling with sequins on dresses. The music begins, I sit down and meet The Dancer And The Devil...

I just had to share a little of my wonderful evening in the woods entertained by Rogue Theatre. Truly inspirational. If you get the chance to see them  then you must. I can't recommend them enough.  To see more about Rogue Theatre have a look here....  and below.

I hope everyone had a good summer? Here's to an incense, berried, woodscented, bonfire, appley, baked potato and spiced cider tasting Autumn.  x

A Little Break

Summer is slipping away and the smell of Autumn is in the air again this morning.  My list of things to do is getting longer and longer and longer...I shall be off to the sea soon to recharge.In the meantime I've decided to have a little blog break. I won't be away for long,  just enough time to organise my very cluttered head at this moment and tackle some of the jobs on the list . ;-)  In the meantime I'll leave you with these beautiful videos that are three of my favourites. I hope you enjoy the music, amazing photography and beauty of our Mother Earth as much as I do. Take care everyone and enjoy the rest of the summer. I'll be back soon. xxx

Hazelnuts and Magic Forest Worlds

August has brought with it warmth and sun today. It is hot and humid and the long grasses that blow in the occasional breeze are dry and yellow and have an end of summer look about them. I'm sure the seasons are ahead of themselves? The hazelnuts that are normally ready for picking and eating at the end of August are ready now and there are ripe blackberries to pick on the land where we grow our vegetables.

Here are my two tucking into some freshly picked hazelnuts. We openly admit to suffering from nut fever in this house. I'd better make sure I pick more soon before the squirrel takes the lot. I'll leave the one's at the top of the tree for him or her. ;-)

 Here are a couple of the other hangers that were not quite finished the last time. Tiny magic forest worlds inside a toadstool.

These two went across to etsy the other day. The unicorn one has sold, but at the time of writing this, the fox one is still available.

I have also put some other items in the shop, pendants and a whale, but I've decided it's not worth showing them on here if they are similar items to what I have made before, as things begin to get a little repetitive.

I loved the Harry Potter film and am already looking forward to it coming out on dvd and imagining myself curled up on the sofa by the fire this winter watching it again.
So to the giveaway....Thank you to everyone that commented.  All names including the one's that commented via, Facebook and Twitter were put into a hat and the winner picked out was (a facebook name)... 

                                                   Lynda Redwitch

Lynda please let me know your contact details so that I can send the magical goodies to you. I would send them by owl but I don't have an owl I'm afraid, so Royal Mail will have to do.

Before I disappear again I thought I'd share this short film 'Astonish Me' with you. It's the latest one by uk WWF  and is very captivating.